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The Take
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Expected 14 Apr 26Win a free print copy of this book!
14 days and 10:08:36
20 copies available
U.S. only
Ambition always has a price.
Maggie Wang, a broke young Asian American writer, needs a lifeline. Ingrid Parker, a veteran white Hollywood producer with her career on the edge, offers an impossible $3 million for ten experimental medical sessions promising to turn back time, using Maggie as a transfusion partner.
For Ingrid, it's a chance to reboot her fading career. For Maggie, it's freedom - money to support her parents and finally finish her novel.
What starts as a professional transaction exchanging blood, quickly becomes a complex psychological dance. Maggie gains unprecedented access to Ingrid's hard-earned wisdom, while Ingrid sees in Maggie a potential protégé - and a weapon against an industry that's been trying to sideline her.
As their relationship intensifies, they're forced to confront the harsh realities of race, age, and success. Who has the power to tell stories? And what are they willing to sacrifice to succeed?
Maggie Wang, a broke young Asian American writer, needs a lifeline. Ingrid Parker, a veteran white Hollywood producer with her career on the edge, offers an impossible $3 million for ten experimental medical sessions promising to turn back time, using Maggie as a transfusion partner.
For Ingrid, it's a chance to reboot her fading career. For Maggie, it's freedom - money to support her parents and finally finish her novel.
What starts as a professional transaction exchanging blood, quickly becomes a complex psychological dance. Maggie gains unprecedented access to Ingrid's hard-earned wisdom, while Ingrid sees in Maggie a potential protégé - and a weapon against an industry that's been trying to sideline her.
As their relationship intensifies, they're forced to confront the harsh realities of race, age, and success. Who has the power to tell stories? And what are they willing to sacrifice to succeed?
368 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication April 14, 2026
25 people are currently reading
13824 people want to read
About the author
Kelly Yang
33 books2,518 followersKelly Yang is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of the FRONT DESK series, winner of the 2019 Asian Pacific American Award for Children's Literature. Her books include FRONT DESK, THREE KEYS, ROOM TO DREAM, PARACHUTES, NEW FROM HERE, and other middle grade and young adult novels. She was born in China and grew up in Los Angeles. She went to college at the age of 13 and graduated from UC Berkeley at the age of 17 and Harvard Law School at the age of 20. After law school, she founded The Kelly Yang Project, a writing and debating program for children in Asia. Prior to becoming a novelist, she wrote for many years for the South China Morning Post, The New York Times, Washington Post, and the Atlantic. She lives in Los Angeles with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
January 15, 2026
What a book! I haven't been so engrossed in fiction in a long time!
Pre-Read Notes:
I really like Kelly Yang. I've only read one of her middle grade books (something I will now remedy) but as a human being, an activist, and a leader in the reading community, she's just awesome sauce. I'm through the first third of this one, Yang's adult debut, and I'm so entertained.
"Cassie guzzled the chocolate balsamic vinegar and asked how it was possible that chocolate could be so sour. Ingrid laughed and told her that anything sweet could turn sour, too. Once again, she thinks of Maggie’s script and how disastrous it will be for her if it turns out mediocre." p251
Final Review
(thoughts & recs) I am really impressed with Kelly Yang's first adult novel. It doesn't read like a thriller to me, but there is a great deal of suspense and mystery, so I can see why that choice was made. These two women, Ingrid and Maggie, are unforgettable characters-- morally complex, driven by their (competing) ideals, and bold in their actions and statements. I never knew what was coming because the relationship between these two is so rife with conflict.
In fact, together, they represent something bigger than either could do independently. Together, they represent power and clearly illustrate how power is preserved.
This is a political book, even if it strives not to be. I agree with Yang's worldview, so for me this was an engaging, enlightening read. If I'm honest, I think she handled the political stuff brilliantly. She represented her political ideas *through* her elements--characters, setting, themes--and not in front of them. If you're concerned about this aspect, just check my content notes. I try to be objective with those.
I recommend The Take for fans of feminist women's fiction, characters who blur the lines, and stories with a moral.
My 3 Favorite Things:
✔️ Well to begin with, this epigraph on p9: "There are only two ways to get ahead in this world— you either make something or take something."
✔️ I think Yang handles the tough subjects well. Delicately. She makes us think about things without swatting us for whatever beliefs she might think are unacceptable. This approach succeeds where being didactic fails.
✔️ A lot of deep irony in this book, some funny, some dark. I love a writer who can write irony *without* pointing it out to the reader.
✔️"For the first time ever, Maggie feels lightness. She feels relief.... The joy of finally getting to be a full human! Flawed. Messy." p292 Yes, and *this* has been my favorite theme. Perfection doesn't exist and perfectionism is an impossible life. Perfectionism can drive people to terrible ends.
Notes:
1. content notes: blood, medical procedures, experimental medicine, infidelity, institutional bigotry, misogyny, racism, political book (skews left), feminism
Thank you to Kelly Yang, Berkeley, and NetGalley for an accessible digital arc of THE TAKE. All views are mine.
Pre-Read Notes:
I really like Kelly Yang. I've only read one of her middle grade books (something I will now remedy) but as a human being, an activist, and a leader in the reading community, she's just awesome sauce. I'm through the first third of this one, Yang's adult debut, and I'm so entertained.
"Cassie guzzled the chocolate balsamic vinegar and asked how it was possible that chocolate could be so sour. Ingrid laughed and told her that anything sweet could turn sour, too. Once again, she thinks of Maggie’s script and how disastrous it will be for her if it turns out mediocre." p251
Final Review
(thoughts & recs) I am really impressed with Kelly Yang's first adult novel. It doesn't read like a thriller to me, but there is a great deal of suspense and mystery, so I can see why that choice was made. These two women, Ingrid and Maggie, are unforgettable characters-- morally complex, driven by their (competing) ideals, and bold in their actions and statements. I never knew what was coming because the relationship between these two is so rife with conflict.
In fact, together, they represent something bigger than either could do independently. Together, they represent power and clearly illustrate how power is preserved.
This is a political book, even if it strives not to be. I agree with Yang's worldview, so for me this was an engaging, enlightening read. If I'm honest, I think she handled the political stuff brilliantly. She represented her political ideas *through* her elements--characters, setting, themes--and not in front of them. If you're concerned about this aspect, just check my content notes. I try to be objective with those.
I recommend The Take for fans of feminist women's fiction, characters who blur the lines, and stories with a moral.
My 3 Favorite Things:
✔️ Well to begin with, this epigraph on p9: "There are only two ways to get ahead in this world— you either make something or take something."
✔️ I think Yang handles the tough subjects well. Delicately. She makes us think about things without swatting us for whatever beliefs she might think are unacceptable. This approach succeeds where being didactic fails.
✔️ A lot of deep irony in this book, some funny, some dark. I love a writer who can write irony *without* pointing it out to the reader.
✔️"For the first time ever, Maggie feels lightness. She feels relief.... The joy of finally getting to be a full human! Flawed. Messy." p292 Yes, and *this* has been my favorite theme. Perfection doesn't exist and perfectionism is an impossible life. Perfectionism can drive people to terrible ends.
Notes:
1. content notes: blood, medical procedures, experimental medicine, infidelity, institutional bigotry, misogyny, racism, political book (skews left), feminism
Thank you to Kelly Yang, Berkeley, and NetGalley for an accessible digital arc of THE TAKE. All views are mine.
March 14, 2026
I’m so grateful for the opportunity to have read an ARC of this novel. Although I was super excited about the approval and about the novel’s premise, I am afraid that…well…it just didn’t “take” for me, unfortunately.
I had high expectations for a sort of Freaky Friday/It’s a Wonderful Life type of journey, but I thought the novel just got kind of silly, with a goofy ending, and plot points that really didn’t add up. For instance, the “science” (and ethics) behind the swapping procedure was scant and frankly ridiculous, especially given that both women jump on board with it immediately, and upon scrutiny it seems difficult to understand how either person thought the procedure was going to help address their primary concerns (except for financially, in Maggie’s case). (As another reviewer said, they would have continued to be known by their respective chronological ages, despite any changes to external appearance or internal health status.)
Something about the writing seemed awkward and clunky or belabored to me, and I truly did not care for or about either of the main characters. Although both blamed their ages for the challenges they faced in their careers and their romantic lives — frankly, it seemed to me that their struggles were at least also in part due to a number of other factors, including being totally brand-new and just out of the gate, yet entitled, in working at their art form (Maggie - poor baby, nobody likes your very first draft of your very first novella, so it’s the end of the world); potentially being out of touch with current trends in film, or overly rigidly stuck on the merits of their own idea, to put it politely (Ingrid - aka, Hollywood may be sexist and ageist, but that doesn’t mean you’re not also a jerk); and choosing to work in incredibly competitive, often shallow, difficult, flawed fields with difficult, flawed people, as well as dating or being married to the same.
I was hoping this novel would have something challenging or innovative to say about ways to confront gender and age-based stereotypes, but it was all just more of the same tired thing. (In fact, it really bothered/confused me that the characters and their relationship also seemed to reinforce stereotypes.) I’m sad to say that I just really did not enjoy this one at all, despite the scintillating concept, and I was confused as to who or what I was supposed to be rooting for, connected to, or invested in. It didn’t seem to succeed for me on the level of satire, thriller, or speculative fiction. Maybe it should have focused more on any one of these specific directions? I did like Willa!
My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC of this book, due out April 14, 2026.
I had high expectations for a sort of Freaky Friday/It’s a Wonderful Life type of journey, but I thought the novel just got kind of silly, with a goofy ending, and plot points that really didn’t add up. For instance, the “science” (and ethics) behind the swapping procedure was scant and frankly ridiculous, especially given that both women jump on board with it immediately, and upon scrutiny it seems difficult to understand how either person thought the procedure was going to help address their primary concerns (except for financially, in Maggie’s case). (As another reviewer said, they would have continued to be known by their respective chronological ages, despite any changes to external appearance or internal health status.)
Something about the writing seemed awkward and clunky or belabored to me, and I truly did not care for or about either of the main characters. Although both blamed their ages for the challenges they faced in their careers and their romantic lives — frankly, it seemed to me that their struggles were at least also in part due to a number of other factors, including being totally brand-new and just out of the gate, yet entitled, in working at their art form (Maggie - poor baby, nobody likes your very first draft of your very first novella, so it’s the end of the world); potentially being out of touch with current trends in film, or overly rigidly stuck on the merits of their own idea, to put it politely (Ingrid - aka, Hollywood may be sexist and ageist, but that doesn’t mean you’re not also a jerk); and choosing to work in incredibly competitive, often shallow, difficult, flawed fields with difficult, flawed people, as well as dating or being married to the same.
I was hoping this novel would have something challenging or innovative to say about ways to confront gender and age-based stereotypes, but it was all just more of the same tired thing. (In fact, it really bothered/confused me that the characters and their relationship also seemed to reinforce stereotypes.) I’m sad to say that I just really did not enjoy this one at all, despite the scintillating concept, and I was confused as to who or what I was supposed to be rooting for, connected to, or invested in. It didn’t seem to succeed for me on the level of satire, thriller, or speculative fiction. Maybe it should have focused more on any one of these specific directions? I did like Willa!
My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC of this book, due out April 14, 2026.
November 29, 2025
Branching out, prolific middle grade author Kelly Yang debuts her first adult novel that, like her titles for young readers, has roots in her own experiences as a AAPI child of immigrant parents.
23 year old Maggie struggles with the seemingly opposing goals of pleasing her Chinese immigrant parents and becoming a writer. Currently, her efforts to expand an autobiographical novella into a full length novel are stalled and her writing program is not helping. Neither are her parents frequently voiced suggestions to try something more financially lucrative or the fact that many of her friends from college have already found agents and have books in various stages towards publication. Her hopes are shattered by a successful writer who flat out dismisses her work in progress and tells her she is too young to have lived enough for her writing to have any depth. On the other end of the spectrum, Ingrid is a 53 year old successful movie producer with money to spare and awards that should validate her career choices but is tormented by feelings of worthlessness, fears that she is aging out of her position of authority and with her advancing age, losing her husband to younger women with smoother skin and tighter tushes. An experimental blood exchange treatment and their shared passion for writing and the arts brings the two together but what seems like a perfect partnership for both, goes horribly wrong.
Yang’s book establishes an exciting story of mentorship gone bad but also incorporates threads of discrimination against females in movie production and all the job fields within that large industry plus the ever-present under-representation of BIPOC, AAPI and other groups in literature and the arts. Adding to those continuing struggles in our society, she throws in the difficulty of both the young 20somethings and those over 50 to stay or be viewed as relevant. Adult readers will thrill as they read but may be lead to do some thinking as they eagerly turn the pages as well.
Personal note: Ingrid sees herself as old and sagging at the age of 53 and struggles with sex being painful and libido fading and while I am not saying that is not representative of some in that decade of life, it is not the experience of all at that age. In fact, many of us in our 60s are still hiking, traveling and enjoying all of life’s pleasures and are looking forward to what exciting things will happen in the next decade.
Yang’s text contains some profanity but it is not heavy-handed, nor are there any F-bombs. Violence is virtually non-existent and while there is infidelity, a cheating boyfriend, and several sexual encounters, the handful of “spicy” passages do not go on and on at any great length. Main characters are Caucasian and Chinese with supporting characters coming from a cross-section of people of color. Maggie’s roommate works in the video sex trade to finance her pursuit of a career in acting. Target age-post high school adults.
23 year old Maggie struggles with the seemingly opposing goals of pleasing her Chinese immigrant parents and becoming a writer. Currently, her efforts to expand an autobiographical novella into a full length novel are stalled and her writing program is not helping. Neither are her parents frequently voiced suggestions to try something more financially lucrative or the fact that many of her friends from college have already found agents and have books in various stages towards publication. Her hopes are shattered by a successful writer who flat out dismisses her work in progress and tells her she is too young to have lived enough for her writing to have any depth. On the other end of the spectrum, Ingrid is a 53 year old successful movie producer with money to spare and awards that should validate her career choices but is tormented by feelings of worthlessness, fears that she is aging out of her position of authority and with her advancing age, losing her husband to younger women with smoother skin and tighter tushes. An experimental blood exchange treatment and their shared passion for writing and the arts brings the two together but what seems like a perfect partnership for both, goes horribly wrong.
Yang’s book establishes an exciting story of mentorship gone bad but also incorporates threads of discrimination against females in movie production and all the job fields within that large industry plus the ever-present under-representation of BIPOC, AAPI and other groups in literature and the arts. Adding to those continuing struggles in our society, she throws in the difficulty of both the young 20somethings and those over 50 to stay or be viewed as relevant. Adult readers will thrill as they read but may be lead to do some thinking as they eagerly turn the pages as well.
Personal note: Ingrid sees herself as old and sagging at the age of 53 and struggles with sex being painful and libido fading and while I am not saying that is not representative of some in that decade of life, it is not the experience of all at that age. In fact, many of us in our 60s are still hiking, traveling and enjoying all of life’s pleasures and are looking forward to what exciting things will happen in the next decade.
Yang’s text contains some profanity but it is not heavy-handed, nor are there any F-bombs. Violence is virtually non-existent and while there is infidelity, a cheating boyfriend, and several sexual encounters, the handful of “spicy” passages do not go on and on at any great length. Main characters are Caucasian and Chinese with supporting characters coming from a cross-section of people of color. Maggie’s roommate works in the video sex trade to finance her pursuit of a career in acting. Target age-post high school adults.
July 27, 2025
What would you choose: youth or wealth?
👧🏻
At twenty-three Maggie Wang is desperate for her big writing break, but when her writer boyfriend cheats on her with someone Maggie considered an inspiration and mentor, she feels like the opportunities he’s getting will never going to happen for her. Ingrid Parker is an aging, white Hollywood producer trying to rebound from a potentially career-ending movie. She’s trying to keep her marriage in tact after her husband cheated on her and then she finds out she has precancerous cells. When her doctor shares a cutting-edge experimental procedure that takes the blood of a younger person and transfuses it into Ingrid, it will reverse the aging process. For $3 million Maggie knows this might change the trajectory of her entire career so she signs up only to realize she might have agreed to something she can’t ever take back: years of life.
👵🏻
What a phenomenal adult debut by Yang! This woman can write everything from picture books to adult titles. I’m really enjoying authors with MG and YA backgrounds venturing into the adult area. I adored the concept—so original, while also touching on important topics such as race, feminism, classism and sex work. If you’re looking for a book club book grab this one on April 14!
CW: classism, poverty, cheating, adultery, medical content, racism, microaggressions, toxic friendship, toxic relationship
👧🏻
At twenty-three Maggie Wang is desperate for her big writing break, but when her writer boyfriend cheats on her with someone Maggie considered an inspiration and mentor, she feels like the opportunities he’s getting will never going to happen for her. Ingrid Parker is an aging, white Hollywood producer trying to rebound from a potentially career-ending movie. She’s trying to keep her marriage in tact after her husband cheated on her and then she finds out she has precancerous cells. When her doctor shares a cutting-edge experimental procedure that takes the blood of a younger person and transfuses it into Ingrid, it will reverse the aging process. For $3 million Maggie knows this might change the trajectory of her entire career so she signs up only to realize she might have agreed to something she can’t ever take back: years of life.
👵🏻
What a phenomenal adult debut by Yang! This woman can write everything from picture books to adult titles. I’m really enjoying authors with MG and YA backgrounds venturing into the adult area. I adored the concept—so original, while also touching on important topics such as race, feminism, classism and sex work. If you’re looking for a book club book grab this one on April 14!
CW: classism, poverty, cheating, adultery, medical content, racism, microaggressions, toxic friendship, toxic relationship
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
It's not a bad book and I liked the premise and much of the discourse but I found it clumsy and imperfect. We follow Ingrid, a 50-ish author and movie producer, who finds her age is getting in the way of her projects, and Maggie, a 23 year old writing student who finds she isn't getting the recognition she craves because she is deemed too young. The premise is the blood transfusion that they go through so that Ingrid gets younger and Maggie older, Maggie being paid 3 million dollars and receiving professional advice from Ingrid.
Both character is very unlikeable - but I liked the themes of white feminism, racism, privilege and wealth, aging... I didn't love the writing. It was witty and funny but also at times trying too hard, full of exclamation marks! Absolutely everywhere! To reflect the characters enthusiasm! "To circle back" is used in a non-ironic way. The resolution of the book was a bit expected.
It was fun... But could have been executed better.
Free ARC sent by Netgalley.
Both character is very unlikeable - but I liked the themes of white feminism, racism, privilege and wealth, aging... I didn't love the writing. It was witty and funny but also at times trying too hard, full of exclamation marks! Absolutely everywhere! To reflect the characters enthusiasm! "To circle back" is used in a non-ironic way. The resolution of the book was a bit expected.
It was fun... But could have been executed better.
Free ARC sent by Netgalley.
Want to read
February 22, 2026i met kelly yang yesterday so obviously i have to read this!
July 24, 2025
Being completely honest, as a Gen-Z Asian woman with a similar background to the author, I hated this book.
I read most of Kelly Yang's Front Desk series when I was younger, and I was very enticed by this speculative, provocative concept. However, the execution just wasn't there and I didn't appreciate the overt political messaging - it pulled me out of the story.
Essentially, this novel revolves around two women: Maggie, a Chinese-American aspiring author struggling to get her work out there, and Ingrid, a seasoned, ambitious, white Hollywood producer worried about fading out of relevancy. Ingrid and Maggie enter into a rather unconventional deal. Ingrid will pay Maggie $3 million in exchange for 10 experimental blood transfusions
I think Yang is a talented, creative writer; this book just didn't do it for me. Before I get into my critiques, here's what I enjoyed about the book: the ending scene is a pleasure to read, the concept is very creative, the addition of the Faustian-bargain-like element to the plot provokes thought, and the cover design is bold and striking. The quote "How much can one take from another?" also stuck out to me.
Alright, unfortunately, I must now deliver my honest critiques. First, Maggie, supposedly a brilliant luminary, possesses incredible stupidity. For instance, she's totally ignorant to the basic workings of the publishing industry despite her personal acquaintances with many up-and-coming authors and her partially finished MFA degree. I understand that part of this may be intentional - it illustrates how one's naivete can be exploited - but it's just downright irritating to read. Second, there's overt political messaging everywhere you turn. I hate to comment on things of political nature, and I love reading books that fundamentally oppose my political views, but it's difficult to enjoy a novel where I'm being overtly fed positions on everything from race/gender relations to sex work to climate change (okay - the last one is a bit of a stretch). For these two reasons, I thought I was going to DNF the book as it was so painful to read; I was only able to continue when I started interpreting the story as a satire piece parodying politicians I dislike. Also, certain elements of the story seemed extremely hypocritical and morally relativistic. Those are my major critiques, but as a STEM nerd, I have to mention that the whole experimental blood transfusion procedure that forms the premise of the novel seems wholly scientifically implausible; I would have preferred a nebulous treatment involving some form of induced pluripotent stem cells instead. I will additionally note that I was able to easily predict the events of the plot far in advance, so any plot twists/surprises had reduced effect.
I'm sorry this review took such a critical turn. Kelly Yang is a wonderful writer with great potential in the adult fiction space. Her writing style is candid and relatable while still carrying powerful themes. I look forward to reading her future works - this one just didn't hit the mark.
Note that the version I read was an uncorrected proof, so nothing is final.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! :)
I read most of Kelly Yang's Front Desk series when I was younger, and I was very enticed by this speculative, provocative concept. However, the execution just wasn't there and I didn't appreciate the overt political messaging - it pulled me out of the story.
Essentially, this novel revolves around two women: Maggie, a Chinese-American aspiring author struggling to get her work out there, and Ingrid, a seasoned, ambitious, white Hollywood producer worried about fading out of relevancy. Ingrid and Maggie enter into a rather unconventional deal. Ingrid will pay Maggie $3 million in exchange for 10 experimental blood transfusions
I think Yang is a talented, creative writer; this book just didn't do it for me. Before I get into my critiques, here's what I enjoyed about the book: the ending scene is a pleasure to read, the concept is very creative, the addition of the Faustian-bargain-like element to the plot provokes thought, and the cover design is bold and striking. The quote "How much can one take from another?" also stuck out to me.
Alright, unfortunately, I must now deliver my honest critiques. First, Maggie, supposedly a brilliant luminary, possesses incredible stupidity. For instance, she's totally ignorant to the basic workings of the publishing industry despite her personal acquaintances with many up-and-coming authors and her partially finished MFA degree. I understand that part of this may be intentional - it illustrates how one's naivete can be exploited - but it's just downright irritating to read. Second, there's overt political messaging everywhere you turn. I hate to comment on things of political nature, and I love reading books that fundamentally oppose my political views, but it's difficult to enjoy a novel where I'm being overtly fed positions on everything from race/gender relations to sex work to climate change (okay - the last one is a bit of a stretch). For these two reasons, I thought I was going to DNF the book as it was so painful to read; I was only able to continue when I started interpreting the story as a satire piece parodying politicians I dislike. Also, certain elements of the story seemed extremely hypocritical and morally relativistic. Those are my major critiques, but as a STEM nerd, I have to mention that the whole experimental blood transfusion procedure that forms the premise of the novel seems wholly scientifically implausible; I would have preferred a nebulous treatment involving some form of induced pluripotent stem cells instead. I will additionally note that I was able to easily predict the events of the plot far in advance, so any plot twists/surprises had reduced effect.
I'm sorry this review took such a critical turn. Kelly Yang is a wonderful writer with great potential in the adult fiction space. Her writing style is candid and relatable while still carrying powerful themes. I look forward to reading her future works - this one just didn't hit the mark.
Note that the version I read was an uncorrected proof, so nothing is final.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! :)
September 15, 2025
This is the first book I have read by Kelly Yang and supposed to be her first adult book, but it still read like a YA book. I say this because there was a lot of over explaining on many different subjects throughout the book.
The two main characters were both annoying but at the same time I liked their interactions with each other. Ingrid was definitely written to be the monster and Maggie was the naive girl who didn't understand the adult world. Which was weird considering her upbringing and one would assume with how she grew up you would think she had more street smarts. Ingrid's character is more believable because you hear the horror stories of how people in Hollywood tend to exploit people who are as naive as Maggie. Ingrid's husband and daughter (Kyle and Cassie) were characters that made sense in the book, but I don't understand why the son was even mentioned as he didn't add anything to the story. Then there is Bryce who just randomly shows up a couple times in the book after the beginning and he has no depth and just talks about his book with no real dialogue. I did like Willa’s character as Maggie’s BFF.
There was also the whole medical experiment, which seemed like a huge plot of the book and it just kind of ended with no closure on what happens to Maggie especially with the ethical issue that Kyle brought up many times at the start of the book.
I really wanted to like this book because from my understanding her YA books are great but this one just didn’t do it for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the advanced copy.
The two main characters were both annoying but at the same time I liked their interactions with each other. Ingrid was definitely written to be the monster and Maggie was the naive girl who didn't understand the adult world. Which was weird considering her upbringing and one would assume with how she grew up you would think she had more street smarts. Ingrid's character is more believable because you hear the horror stories of how people in Hollywood tend to exploit people who are as naive as Maggie. Ingrid's husband and daughter (Kyle and Cassie) were characters that made sense in the book, but I don't understand why the son was even mentioned as he didn't add anything to the story. Then there is Bryce who just randomly shows up a couple times in the book after the beginning and he has no depth and just talks about his book with no real dialogue. I did like Willa’s character as Maggie’s BFF.
There was also the whole medical experiment, which seemed like a huge plot of the book and it just kind of ended with no closure on what happens to Maggie especially with the ethical issue that Kyle brought up many times at the start of the book.
I really wanted to like this book because from my understanding her YA books are great but this one just didn’t do it for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the advanced copy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC of The Take by Kelly Yang!
This was an addictive story-I literally didn't stop reading it once I had started. The overall theme was very similar to R.F Kuang's Yellowface and posed the ultimate question of "what would you do to make your goals come true?"
While I enjoyed the areas of the story that surrounded Ingrid and Maggie in relation to the screenwriting and book writing world, I had a bit of a hard time with the blood transfusion scenes. While I understand the sci-fi vibe to it, it just didn't make a lot of sense to me and I feel like this part was a bit underdeveloped.
Similar to how I felt reading Yellowface, I really enjoyed reading about the behind the scenes that goes into book writing, something that I as a reader do not think much about.
This was an addictive story-I literally didn't stop reading it once I had started. The overall theme was very similar to R.F Kuang's Yellowface and posed the ultimate question of "what would you do to make your goals come true?"
While I enjoyed the areas of the story that surrounded Ingrid and Maggie in relation to the screenwriting and book writing world, I had a bit of a hard time with the blood transfusion scenes. While I understand the sci-fi vibe to it, it just didn't make a lot of sense to me and I feel like this part was a bit underdeveloped.
Similar to how I felt reading Yellowface, I really enjoyed reading about the behind the scenes that goes into book writing, something that I as a reader do not think much about.
September 10, 2025
I absolutely adore Kelly Yang's middle grade fiction and went into her first adult book with high hopes. Some of those hopes were realized; others were not. The premise (exchanging youth/health for ambition/success/financial security) was intriguing, although the scientific plausibility seemed far-fetched (not to mention against any medical ethics codes!). The main characters, Maggie and Ingrid, alternated between annoying and sympathetic, which was likely intentional. I just never completely connected to them. I very much appreciated the issues tackled in this book but at times felt like it was biting off more than it could chew (such as classism, racism, spousal trauma, sex work, etc.). Is the book thought-provoking and readable? Absolutely. Did I love it as much as Yang's middle grade fiction? Unfortunately not.
Thanks to NetGalley for an e-arc of this book.
Thanks to NetGalley for an e-arc of this book.
2026
September 30, 2025ANHPI TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley
March 10, 2026
Front Desk is such an important and well-written Middle Grade novel that I jumped at the chance to read Yang’s debut in the adult novel word! Especially after reading the blurb. Two morally complex, driven characters grapple with their age, class, and sexism in the business. Past the concepts which are so intriguing, this fell a little flat for me. The dialogue was forced and clunky, the characters were over the top, and I found myself rolling my eyes more than I’d care for. Some of this tone is most likely intentional, I’ve seen this billed in some places as «satirical» and even a «psychological thriller.» It did not read as either of those genres to me? Maybe if I had gone in expecting that I would have experienced it differently? Not sure.
Great concepts from a fantastic author. I did not love the execution.
Great concepts from a fantastic author. I did not love the execution.
October 2, 2025
Holy moly, what a great adult debut! We love her middle grade books so I was so excited to hear about this and to get the ARC from Berkley!
The premise:
Maggie is a broke young Asian American writer, that is down in the dumps trying to break through. Ingrid, a famous white Hollywood producer with her career teetering, offers an irresistible deal: $3 million and exclusive mentorship/access for ten experimental medical transfusions to reverse her aging. For Maggie, this is a huge opportunity for access and financial freedom—money to support her hard working immigrant parents and to finally make her writing dreams come true.
What starts as a professional transaction exchanging blood quickly becomes a complicated web of power plays, deception, and uncovering secrets. They both have to ask, what are they willing to sacrifice to succeed?
As a mom in her 40s and child of immigrant parents, there were so many hard hitting themes for me. Regardless of race, this was such a relevant discussion about women aging, the discrimination that lies there, opportunities provided based on your race or privilege, and the extent to which people will go to get ahead.
I really liked the discussion around youth and exploring how much we would be willing to do for "success" and to squash what we are insecure about. However, it's also a great lesson that just because you get younger on the outside or get more money, does NOT get rid of those insecurities or take away your problems. If anything, it may actually add more!! As they say, mo money mo problems in some cases, especially when we don't know how to handle it or are willing to sacrifice our health or our values to get it. Also as a mom, imagining her as a daughter, I was going GIRL WHAT ARE YOU DOING??? That would never be worth your youth/health but there are so many things desperation will make you do!
-------SPOILER ALERT!!!! Don't read on if you haven't read it! -------
Here are some things I didn't love.
1. I didn't feel like I got closure on the whole Estelle/boyfriend thing, but I guess it was just that she left it and was done with it forever. Case closed. It just felt like a big part of the beginning, and then it was gone.
2. I also didn't love is how much Ingrid's insecurity about every young woman her husband was nice to came up. I was wanting to not see her as just a villain but it just kept getting worse with what she did and what she thought, that I just couldn't empathize with her. My heart did break for her with the part where her husband said I didn't want her to hate you... EEEEEK
3. I wish there were more side characters that I came to really really adore. Willa/her parents were there but then disappeared, then came back. It just wasn't super deep or people that I came to root for. Maybe Cassie was starting to, but even then I wasn't invested in anybody except maybe Maggie, Ingrid, and Kyle.
I enjoyed it and can't wait to have conversations with people about this book! Thanks Berkley!
The premise:
Maggie is a broke young Asian American writer, that is down in the dumps trying to break through. Ingrid, a famous white Hollywood producer with her career teetering, offers an irresistible deal: $3 million and exclusive mentorship/access for ten experimental medical transfusions to reverse her aging. For Maggie, this is a huge opportunity for access and financial freedom—money to support her hard working immigrant parents and to finally make her writing dreams come true.
What starts as a professional transaction exchanging blood quickly becomes a complicated web of power plays, deception, and uncovering secrets. They both have to ask, what are they willing to sacrifice to succeed?
As a mom in her 40s and child of immigrant parents, there were so many hard hitting themes for me. Regardless of race, this was such a relevant discussion about women aging, the discrimination that lies there, opportunities provided based on your race or privilege, and the extent to which people will go to get ahead.
I really liked the discussion around youth and exploring how much we would be willing to do for "success" and to squash what we are insecure about. However, it's also a great lesson that just because you get younger on the outside or get more money, does NOT get rid of those insecurities or take away your problems. If anything, it may actually add more!! As they say, mo money mo problems in some cases, especially when we don't know how to handle it or are willing to sacrifice our health or our values to get it. Also as a mom, imagining her as a daughter, I was going GIRL WHAT ARE YOU DOING??? That would never be worth your youth/health but there are so many things desperation will make you do!
-------SPOILER ALERT!!!! Don't read on if you haven't read it! -------
Here are some things I didn't love.
1. I didn't feel like I got closure on the whole Estelle/boyfriend thing, but I guess it was just that she left it and was done with it forever. Case closed. It just felt like a big part of the beginning, and then it was gone.
2. I also didn't love is how much Ingrid's insecurity about every young woman her husband was nice to came up. I was wanting to not see her as just a villain but it just kept getting worse with what she did and what she thought, that I just couldn't empathize with her. My heart did break for her with the part where her husband said I didn't want her to hate you... EEEEEK
3. I wish there were more side characters that I came to really really adore. Willa/her parents were there but then disappeared, then came back. It just wasn't super deep or people that I came to root for. Maybe Cassie was starting to, but even then I wasn't invested in anybody except maybe Maggie, Ingrid, and Kyle.
I enjoyed it and can't wait to have conversations with people about this book! Thanks Berkley!
January 13, 2026
In “The Take”, 23 year old, struggled author, Maggie is hired by famous produced, Ingrid, to take part in a revolutionary new blood transfusion process to age Ingrid down by 10 years. Both women agree to this process for many reasons: appearance, status, exposure, relationship issues, money, etc. The partnership quickly becomes tense when Maggie tries to work with Ingrid on a new movie, and realizes just how controlling and manipulative she can be. At the same time, Maggie starts rapidly aging while Ingrid is looking younger than ever.
Unfortunately this debut adult novel fell flat for me. Yang has previously written many successful middle fiction books, but that level of writing does seep into this novel. Although there are many adult scenes written, the writing feels very basic and the pacing reminded me a lot of a young adult book. Details are often skipped over and rushed to get to the next conflict. Everything felt a bit unrealistic and I really struggled to like any of the characters. They were all deeply flawed, but without any depth to them, so they just ended up reading as really annoying. Most of all, it was just impossibly to believe that Maggie could be successful despite Ingrid’s sabotage, because she seems to know nothing about the film industry or professionalism.
I appreciated the commentary on age, being a woman in Hollywood, and race. I just didn’t quite connect with the arguments made around age and womanhood, because I don’t think the transfusion actually changes what both women seem to think it will. Their appearances may change, but the heart of ageism is their actual age. Everyone in the industry knows them to be 23 and 53, and if they don’t that could easily be found out. Ingrid may look young, and that could help her in many ways, but she’s a famous producer who’s known to be in her 50s, so I doubt her reputation as an older woman will change much. I just found the arguments hard to believe.
Unfortunately this debut adult novel fell flat for me. Yang has previously written many successful middle fiction books, but that level of writing does seep into this novel. Although there are many adult scenes written, the writing feels very basic and the pacing reminded me a lot of a young adult book. Details are often skipped over and rushed to get to the next conflict. Everything felt a bit unrealistic and I really struggled to like any of the characters. They were all deeply flawed, but without any depth to them, so they just ended up reading as really annoying. Most of all, it was just impossibly to believe that Maggie could be successful despite Ingrid’s sabotage, because she seems to know nothing about the film industry or professionalism.
I appreciated the commentary on age, being a woman in Hollywood, and race. I just didn’t quite connect with the arguments made around age and womanhood, because I don’t think the transfusion actually changes what both women seem to think it will. Their appearances may change, but the heart of ageism is their actual age. Everyone in the industry knows them to be 23 and 53, and if they don’t that could easily be found out. Ingrid may look young, and that could help her in many ways, but she’s a famous producer who’s known to be in her 50s, so I doubt her reputation as an older woman will change much. I just found the arguments hard to believe.
August 20, 2025
While I enjoyed the writing style and the flow of this novel, I didn’t really like the story much.
I started off being annoyed by how pushy and bold Maggie was, and by the end I found it uncomfortable to read Ingrid being shady at every turn. I didn’t find either main character likable, and that always makes a book difficult for me.
**ARC review. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read it early.
I started off being annoyed by how pushy and bold Maggie was, and by the end I found it uncomfortable to read Ingrid being shady at every turn. I didn’t find either main character likable, and that always makes a book difficult for me.
**ARC review. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read it early.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
4.5/5
This was such a great buddy read / book club book! I buddy read this book and had some great discussions on the following topics that this book covered:
- different types of privilege (socio-economic, race, gender, beauty, and age)
- bigotry and misogyny within the publishing and entertainment industry
- performative allyship
- female misogyny / jealousy
As you can probably tell, this book tackles a lot of themes.
The story, told in alternating POVs, follows Maggie and Ingrid:
- Maggie - a 23-year-old broke and aspiring author who grew up with struggling immigrant parents. She's working on an autobiographical novella, but was told that she's still too young and doesn't have enough life experience to write a good book.
- Ingrid - a 53-year-old successful and wealthy film producer who is struggling to convince the studio to greenlight her latest movie. She is disheartened to find that the studio appears to favour the younger, up-and-coming female producer over her.
When an opportunity arises for Ingrid to partake in an experimental anti-ageing procedure to help her become 10 years younger, she immediately takes it. The only caveat is that she needs to find a willing transfusion partner who is open to becoming 10 years older as a result of this procedure. With the irresistible offer of 3 million dollars plus the mentorship of a very well-connected and influential woman, Maggie happily signs up to be Ingrid's transfusion partner and to learn everything she can from Ingrid on how to improve her book.
It is clear from the get-go that there's a huge power imbalance in Ingrid and Maggie's relationship, which becomes more evident as the story progresses. I thought the strengths of this book truly lie in how the story highlights the differences between the two characters, from the obstacles they face to their worldview and how they navigate and respond to adversity.
You definitely need to suspend disbelief for this book (particularly when it comes to the questionable medical procedures and ethics involved with the anti-ageing transfusions). Aside from that, this book reads like a thriller as the story slowly takes a darker turn when the characters start getting to know each other and begin revealing their true nature. Believe me when I say many moments in this book made my blood boil! I'm glad this was a buddy read and that I had someone to vent to!
My biggest complaint was that the ending was rushed, and there were a few loose ends that were left unresolved. Otherwise, I was thoroughly entertained and fully engaged in the story and the unfolding dynamic between Maggie and Ingrid.
**I had received a physical ARC from the publisher for review consideration, but all opinions are my own.**
____________________________________
If you like the following books, then you might enjoy The Take or vice-versa:
This was such a great buddy read / book club book! I buddy read this book and had some great discussions on the following topics that this book covered:
- different types of privilege (socio-economic, race, gender, beauty, and age)
- bigotry and misogyny within the publishing and entertainment industry
- performative allyship
- female misogyny / jealousy
As you can probably tell, this book tackles a lot of themes.
The story, told in alternating POVs, follows Maggie and Ingrid:
- Maggie - a 23-year-old broke and aspiring author who grew up with struggling immigrant parents. She's working on an autobiographical novella, but was told that she's still too young and doesn't have enough life experience to write a good book.
- Ingrid - a 53-year-old successful and wealthy film producer who is struggling to convince the studio to greenlight her latest movie. She is disheartened to find that the studio appears to favour the younger, up-and-coming female producer over her.
When an opportunity arises for Ingrid to partake in an experimental anti-ageing procedure to help her become 10 years younger, she immediately takes it. The only caveat is that she needs to find a willing transfusion partner who is open to becoming 10 years older as a result of this procedure. With the irresistible offer of 3 million dollars plus the mentorship of a very well-connected and influential woman, Maggie happily signs up to be Ingrid's transfusion partner and to learn everything she can from Ingrid on how to improve her book.
It is clear from the get-go that there's a huge power imbalance in Ingrid and Maggie's relationship, which becomes more evident as the story progresses. I thought the strengths of this book truly lie in how the story highlights the differences between the two characters, from the obstacles they face to their worldview and how they navigate and respond to adversity.
You definitely need to suspend disbelief for this book (particularly when it comes to the questionable medical procedures and ethics involved with the anti-ageing transfusions). Aside from that, this book reads like a thriller as the story slowly takes a darker turn when the characters start getting to know each other and begin revealing their true nature. Believe me when I say many moments in this book made my blood boil! I'm glad this was a buddy read and that I had someone to vent to!
My biggest complaint was that the ending was rushed, and there were a few loose ends that were left unresolved. Otherwise, I was thoroughly entertained and fully engaged in the story and the unfolding dynamic between Maggie and Ingrid.
**I had received a physical ARC from the publisher for review consideration, but all opinions are my own.**
____________________________________
If you like the following books, then you might enjoy The Take or vice-versa:
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
"There are only two ways to get ahead in this world--you either make something or take something."
Kelly Yang's adult debut is a fast-paced thriller-adjacent novel that examines what two women, in very different points in their lives, will do to be relevant. Maggie Wang is a broke young Asian-American woman who dreams of becoming a writer, much to the disapproval of her parents. Struggling with rejection and watching everyone around her seemingly achieve their dreams, she's thrilled when she has an opportunity to work with and learn from the Ingrid Parker, an older veteran Hollywood producer who's dealing with her own problems. What's more, Maggie will be paid $3 million to participate in an experimental blood transfusion experience with Parker. But what starts as a (relatively) simple contractual relationship starts to grow more complicated as the women's individual journeys start overlapping and lines get blurred between personal and professional.
Let me tell you, this book was a ride. Yang kept me engaged throughout the book with what the characters dealt with and how they handled things. There were times when I was screaming at either Ingrid or Maggie (or both) for being so stupid about their decisions, times I was screaming at the way they were being treated by others (or by each other), and times when I was just eager to see what would happen next. Yang's writing was sharp and there were some parts that I found whip-smart and viciously funny. Plus, the themes of racism, ageism, and sexism and the impact they have on people were spot-on.
Do you remember what it was like to be in your early twenties? The feeling of unshakeable confidence and optimism, the knowledge that you were going to change the world, that you were going to get everything you wanted because you were that motivated and that talented? And then those feelings of desperation and panic when real life smacked you upside the head a few times? Kelly Yang captures that perfectly with Maggie. She is so young in so many ways, but you couldn't help but root for her.
My feelings toward Ingrid were the opposite. I was originally rooting for her because of what she'd gone through and how she was being treated (hooray for the intersectionality of ageism and sexism, y'all). But as the story went on, it was clear that she was shaped by her experiences and not in the good way. There were glimpses of her humanity, but it wasn't enough to redeem her for her refusal to get with the times, so to speak. Girl, I hate to break it to you, but you might not be the hero in this story. In fact, you might be the villain.
As I mentioned, I was engaged throughout the entire story, but the ending fell a little flat for me. It was surprisingly anticlimactic and unfortunately highlighted one of the weaker parts of the story--the "science" behind the transfusions--more than it should have. I still found it mostly satisfying, but it didn't hold up to the rest of the book for me.
Thank you to Berkley for the eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Kelly Yang's adult debut is a fast-paced thriller-adjacent novel that examines what two women, in very different points in their lives, will do to be relevant. Maggie Wang is a broke young Asian-American woman who dreams of becoming a writer, much to the disapproval of her parents. Struggling with rejection and watching everyone around her seemingly achieve their dreams, she's thrilled when she has an opportunity to work with and learn from the Ingrid Parker, an older veteran Hollywood producer who's dealing with her own problems. What's more, Maggie will be paid $3 million to participate in an experimental blood transfusion experience with Parker. But what starts as a (relatively) simple contractual relationship starts to grow more complicated as the women's individual journeys start overlapping and lines get blurred between personal and professional.
Let me tell you, this book was a ride. Yang kept me engaged throughout the book with what the characters dealt with and how they handled things. There were times when I was screaming at either Ingrid or Maggie (or both) for being so stupid about their decisions, times I was screaming at the way they were being treated by others (or by each other), and times when I was just eager to see what would happen next. Yang's writing was sharp and there were some parts that I found whip-smart and viciously funny. Plus, the themes of racism, ageism, and sexism and the impact they have on people were spot-on.
Do you remember what it was like to be in your early twenties? The feeling of unshakeable confidence and optimism, the knowledge that you were going to change the world, that you were going to get everything you wanted because you were that motivated and that talented? And then those feelings of desperation and panic when real life smacked you upside the head a few times? Kelly Yang captures that perfectly with Maggie. She is so young in so many ways, but you couldn't help but root for her.
My feelings toward Ingrid were the opposite. I was originally rooting for her because of what she'd gone through and how she was being treated (hooray for the intersectionality of ageism and sexism, y'all). But as the story went on, it was clear that she was shaped by her experiences and not in the good way. There were glimpses of her humanity, but it wasn't enough to redeem her for her refusal to get with the times, so to speak. Girl, I hate to break it to you, but you might not be the hero in this story. In fact, you might be the villain.
As I mentioned, I was engaged throughout the entire story, but the ending fell a little flat for me. It was surprisingly anticlimactic and unfortunately highlighted one of the weaker parts of the story--the "science" behind the transfusions--more than it should have. I still found it mostly satisfying, but it didn't hold up to the rest of the book for me.
Thank you to Berkley for the eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 26, 2025
The Take tells the story of Maggie, a broke wannabe author in LA, and Ingrid, a highly successful—but aging—movie producer. When Ingrid learns that she has precancerous markers in her blood and there’s an experimental treatment that might cure it, she jumps at the chance. The only problem? The treatment is a two-way blood transfusion that might make Ingrid younger and the other person older.
Maggie and Ingrid meet when Maggie applies to help project manage the treatment plan for Ingrid. Inspired by the feminist icon, Maggie volunteers to be Ingrid’s blood donor. And that’s when The Take takes off.
At first I got Hacks vibes. Maggie and Ingrid’s relationship begins as warm, mutually supportive and funny. Maggie aims to gather all of Ingrid’s wisdom and experience and Ingrid loves acting as Maggie’s mentor. Over the course of the ten required blood transfusions, feelings shift and animosity grows. Each woman demonstrates an ever-greater attitude of self-preservation, which is at odds with their medical partnership.
The Take offers many reflections on being a woman and a woman of color in a male-dominated, majority white industry, including what happens when women support each other and when they don’t. There’s a lot that’s fun and, especially toward the end, a good amount that gets a tad depressing in its cattiness. Overall, I liked this book, but I significantly preferred the first 2/3 over the last third. In particular, I felt The Take barreled toward an ending that couldn’t possibly come to a meaningful resolution in its last few dozen pages. It’s an easy and fast read. I recommend it, but I do think the ending will leave some readers wanting more. 3.5 stars rounded up.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Favorite quotes:
“She’ll never forget the first time she made Kyle laugh. They were at a bodega near her apartment in New York. She told him the bodega cat was the standard she was holding boyfriends to. Had a job. Didn’t give a fuck if she got another bag of chips. Listened to her for hours.“
“She’s caught plenty of other things from men—trust issues, trauma, a heart that feels physically heavy—but never an STD, thank God.”
“To answer your question, how do you trust your vision? Well, it comes with experience. And it takes years,” Ingrid says. “You go with your vision, then, if it works, you trust it more the next time. And the next time.”
That sounds about right. But she wishes there were another way. A faster way. “But how do you know to go with it the first time?” Maggie asks.
“You don’t.” Ingrid smiles. “That’s why you need to surround yourself with people who do. It’s very hard to know you have the next big thing when you’re young.”
Maggie and Ingrid meet when Maggie applies to help project manage the treatment plan for Ingrid. Inspired by the feminist icon, Maggie volunteers to be Ingrid’s blood donor. And that’s when The Take takes off.
At first I got Hacks vibes. Maggie and Ingrid’s relationship begins as warm, mutually supportive and funny. Maggie aims to gather all of Ingrid’s wisdom and experience and Ingrid loves acting as Maggie’s mentor. Over the course of the ten required blood transfusions, feelings shift and animosity grows. Each woman demonstrates an ever-greater attitude of self-preservation, which is at odds with their medical partnership.
The Take offers many reflections on being a woman and a woman of color in a male-dominated, majority white industry, including what happens when women support each other and when they don’t. There’s a lot that’s fun and, especially toward the end, a good amount that gets a tad depressing in its cattiness. Overall, I liked this book, but I significantly preferred the first 2/3 over the last third. In particular, I felt The Take barreled toward an ending that couldn’t possibly come to a meaningful resolution in its last few dozen pages. It’s an easy and fast read. I recommend it, but I do think the ending will leave some readers wanting more. 3.5 stars rounded up.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Favorite quotes:
“She’ll never forget the first time she made Kyle laugh. They were at a bodega near her apartment in New York. She told him the bodega cat was the standard she was holding boyfriends to. Had a job. Didn’t give a fuck if she got another bag of chips. Listened to her for hours.“
“She’s caught plenty of other things from men—trust issues, trauma, a heart that feels physically heavy—but never an STD, thank God.”
“To answer your question, how do you trust your vision? Well, it comes with experience. And it takes years,” Ingrid says. “You go with your vision, then, if it works, you trust it more the next time. And the next time.”
That sounds about right. But she wishes there were another way. A faster way. “But how do you know to go with it the first time?” Maggie asks.
“You don’t.” Ingrid smiles. “That’s why you need to surround yourself with people who do. It’s very hard to know you have the next big thing when you’re young.”
July 27, 2025
I am extremely grateful to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the privilege of reviewing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.
What a fascinating, unique and fast-paced read!
The Take is a fresh new spin on the time-worn tales of ageism, sexism and power struggles. How much will you take from someone else to get what you want? Conversely, how much will you allow to be taken from you in trade for attaining your heart's desires?
Maggie Wang is a broke, down on her luck, struggling writer trying to find a foothold after leaving her MFA program in defeat. Determined to make her Chinese immigrant parents proud, she longs to prove that writing is a worthy career and the she is capable of being the next big thing. Enter Ingrid Parker, a wealthy, white, veteran film producer who is starting to feel the harsh realities of being an aging woman in Hollywood. When Ingrid learns about an experimental blood transfusion treatment that can turn the clock back ten years in as many weeks, she becomes desperate to cling to her youth and relevancy in the highly competitve realm of Tinseltown. Ingrid discovers that Maggie is the perfect candidate to be her transfusion parter and she is willing to offer her 3 million dollars to use her blood to turn back the clock. Maggie agrees to participate in the hopes that the money and mentorship from Ingrid will put her writing career on the fast track. As the weeks pass, tensions mount while the complex relationship between the two women unfolds and the realities of medical and emotional side effects of treatment begin to be revealed.
I was hooked from the beginning. This is speculative fiction that brought to mind elements of the recent film The Substance. There is some delicious dark humor and satire as the women develop this bizarre, vamipistic relationship. It would be a mistake to dismiss this book merely on the surface. There is some very deep exploration of race, ageism, class inequality and the balance between personal sacrifice and career success. I think this one will resonate with any woman who has ever felt set aside or overlooked because of her age. Likewise, I think anyone who has ever been taken advantage of in their youth or naivete will feel seen.
Great for anyone who loves books about writers, the publishing industry, the Hollywood scene and celebrity gossip. Deducting a point for going slightly off the rails and getting a little sappy about 3/4 through but a lovely recovery with a solid ending. I can absolutely see this one being optioned for the big screen - how ironic! 4 stars.
What a fascinating, unique and fast-paced read!
The Take is a fresh new spin on the time-worn tales of ageism, sexism and power struggles. How much will you take from someone else to get what you want? Conversely, how much will you allow to be taken from you in trade for attaining your heart's desires?
Maggie Wang is a broke, down on her luck, struggling writer trying to find a foothold after leaving her MFA program in defeat. Determined to make her Chinese immigrant parents proud, she longs to prove that writing is a worthy career and the she is capable of being the next big thing. Enter Ingrid Parker, a wealthy, white, veteran film producer who is starting to feel the harsh realities of being an aging woman in Hollywood. When Ingrid learns about an experimental blood transfusion treatment that can turn the clock back ten years in as many weeks, she becomes desperate to cling to her youth and relevancy in the highly competitve realm of Tinseltown. Ingrid discovers that Maggie is the perfect candidate to be her transfusion parter and she is willing to offer her 3 million dollars to use her blood to turn back the clock. Maggie agrees to participate in the hopes that the money and mentorship from Ingrid will put her writing career on the fast track. As the weeks pass, tensions mount while the complex relationship between the two women unfolds and the realities of medical and emotional side effects of treatment begin to be revealed.
I was hooked from the beginning. This is speculative fiction that brought to mind elements of the recent film The Substance. There is some delicious dark humor and satire as the women develop this bizarre, vamipistic relationship. It would be a mistake to dismiss this book merely on the surface. There is some very deep exploration of race, ageism, class inequality and the balance between personal sacrifice and career success. I think this one will resonate with any woman who has ever felt set aside or overlooked because of her age. Likewise, I think anyone who has ever been taken advantage of in their youth or naivete will feel seen.
Great for anyone who loves books about writers, the publishing industry, the Hollywood scene and celebrity gossip. Deducting a point for going slightly off the rails and getting a little sappy about 3/4 through but a lovely recovery with a solid ending. I can absolutely see this one being optioned for the big screen - how ironic! 4 stars.
September 10, 2025
Title: The Take
Author: Kelly Yang
Publisher / Imprint: Berkeley Publishing Group
Publication Date: 04/14/2026
Genre: Literary Fiction
Format Read: eARC
ARC provided by Berkeley Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’m a huge fan of Kelly Yang’s Front Desk series, so the idea of her writing for adults instantly caught my attention. Right from the start, I noticed her writing felt more grown-up—lyrical at times, direct when needed. Yang’s prose is often lyrical, but she doesn’t hesitate to shift into a sharper, more straightforward style when driving home a point. Around the halfway mark, though, I found myself a bit confused by the book’s multiple threads and wasn’t sure what the “core” of the story was.
"Remember, there are only two ways to get ahead in this world-you either make something or take something."
Maggie Wang is a young, asian-american woman who is also an aspiring writer who desperately wants to break into the business. Ingrid parker is a middle-aged white woman who is struggling to make it through the drama of therapy with a cheating spouse, a career that is floundering, and trying to find that next big thing to keep her relevant. When Ingrid gets bad news from a doctor, she decides to try an experimental new treatment, but she has to find the perfect person to help her through it.
The setting wasn’t especially vivid beyond a few locations, but thematically, Yang dives deep: grief, love, anger, revenge, and determination all pulse beneath the surface. The theme of “taking what you want, regardless of who gets hurt” was especially strong.
The strongest element of the story is its exploration of ambition—what people will do to remain relevant, even at the expense of others. The conflicts were messy and real, though at times I wished for a bit more clarity in how everything tied together.
* Content Warnings
Spousal Trauma
Family Trauma
Racism
Sexism
My Final Thoughts
The Take is a bold first step into adult fiction for Kelly Yang. While it may not land perfectly for every reader, it’s layered, thought-provoking, and will appeal to anyone who enjoys messy drama with a sharp edge. Fans of Jeneva Rose’s work may especially connect with this one.
Would I read Yang’s adult work again? Absolutely.
Overall Placement / Rating: 3.5 Stars
#ARCReview #BookReview #Bookstagram #BookTok #NetGalley #AdvanceReaderCopy #KellyYang #TheTake #LiteraryFiction #DramaReads
Author: Kelly Yang
Publisher / Imprint: Berkeley Publishing Group
Publication Date: 04/14/2026
Genre: Literary Fiction
Format Read: eARC
ARC provided by Berkeley Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’m a huge fan of Kelly Yang’s Front Desk series, so the idea of her writing for adults instantly caught my attention. Right from the start, I noticed her writing felt more grown-up—lyrical at times, direct when needed. Yang’s prose is often lyrical, but she doesn’t hesitate to shift into a sharper, more straightforward style when driving home a point. Around the halfway mark, though, I found myself a bit confused by the book’s multiple threads and wasn’t sure what the “core” of the story was.
"Remember, there are only two ways to get ahead in this world-you either make something or take something."
Maggie Wang is a young, asian-american woman who is also an aspiring writer who desperately wants to break into the business. Ingrid parker is a middle-aged white woman who is struggling to make it through the drama of therapy with a cheating spouse, a career that is floundering, and trying to find that next big thing to keep her relevant. When Ingrid gets bad news from a doctor, she decides to try an experimental new treatment, but she has to find the perfect person to help her through it.
The setting wasn’t especially vivid beyond a few locations, but thematically, Yang dives deep: grief, love, anger, revenge, and determination all pulse beneath the surface. The theme of “taking what you want, regardless of who gets hurt” was especially strong.
The strongest element of the story is its exploration of ambition—what people will do to remain relevant, even at the expense of others. The conflicts were messy and real, though at times I wished for a bit more clarity in how everything tied together.
* Content Warnings
Spousal Trauma
Family Trauma
Racism
Sexism
My Final Thoughts
The Take is a bold first step into adult fiction for Kelly Yang. While it may not land perfectly for every reader, it’s layered, thought-provoking, and will appeal to anyone who enjoys messy drama with a sharp edge. Fans of Jeneva Rose’s work may especially connect with this one.
Would I read Yang’s adult work again? Absolutely.
Overall Placement / Rating: 3.5 Stars
#ARCReview #BookReview #Bookstagram #BookTok #NetGalley #AdvanceReaderCopy #KellyYang #TheTake #LiteraryFiction #DramaReads
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
**Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for providing this ebook for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.**
The Take by Kelly Yang is the story of Maggie, a young Asian American woman struggling to get her literary career off the ground and Ingrid, a white, seasoned Hollywood producer struggling with her fading career and marriage. Ingrid believes that it is her loss of youth that is her main problem with both. Maggie seems to be the answer to both of Ingrid’s issues and this is where the story takes off.
Yang weaves a fast paced story with many twists and turns. I’m not a fast reader, but these pages turned quickly and kept me interested and engaged throughout. The core commentary on “youth at any cost” reminded me of “The Substance” starring Demi Moore.
There are so many themes weaving through the stories of the two women who are both striving for validation of their talents and desires. The one that felt the strongest to me was the tension between “experience and patience vs. fresh, ambitious, and risk taking.” There were so many times when I cringed at both Maggie and Ingrid as they were contemplating their next move, thinking to myself “NO NO NO NO” and then “Ohhhhh, no she DIDN’T! There was a better way!”
Other themes include society's obsession with youth and its effect on both young and older women, oppressive money vs autonomous poverty, and the disparities in the pay and treatment of people of color.
Maggie has a “ready-shoot-aim” issue and Ingrid has a narcissism issue, but both women are navigating a fickle, flawed world full of challenges no matter how you approach them. The secondary characters were well developed and strong and the prose overall had a clear voice.
I’m giving this story a solid 3.5 stars. There were aspects that were 4+ but I found myself thinking about the author through the lens of a more "seasoned" reader (me) and my final impression was that this was really good and very worth reading, but I mostly am looking forward to watching Kelly Yang’s writing, and her career grow and mature over time. She’s got a bright future (and yes, I see the irony in this middle aged white woman saying "it's good but when she gets more experience it will be better." about a young Asian American writer's work).
The Take by Kelly Yang is the story of Maggie, a young Asian American woman struggling to get her literary career off the ground and Ingrid, a white, seasoned Hollywood producer struggling with her fading career and marriage. Ingrid believes that it is her loss of youth that is her main problem with both. Maggie seems to be the answer to both of Ingrid’s issues and this is where the story takes off.
Yang weaves a fast paced story with many twists and turns. I’m not a fast reader, but these pages turned quickly and kept me interested and engaged throughout. The core commentary on “youth at any cost” reminded me of “The Substance” starring Demi Moore.
There are so many themes weaving through the stories of the two women who are both striving for validation of their talents and desires. The one that felt the strongest to me was the tension between “experience and patience vs. fresh, ambitious, and risk taking.” There were so many times when I cringed at both Maggie and Ingrid as they were contemplating their next move, thinking to myself “NO NO NO NO” and then “Ohhhhh, no she DIDN’T! There was a better way!”
Other themes include society's obsession with youth and its effect on both young and older women, oppressive money vs autonomous poverty, and the disparities in the pay and treatment of people of color.
Maggie has a “ready-shoot-aim” issue and Ingrid has a narcissism issue, but both women are navigating a fickle, flawed world full of challenges no matter how you approach them. The secondary characters were well developed and strong and the prose overall had a clear voice.
I’m giving this story a solid 3.5 stars. There were aspects that were 4+ but I found myself thinking about the author through the lens of a more "seasoned" reader (me) and my final impression was that this was really good and very worth reading, but I mostly am looking forward to watching Kelly Yang’s writing, and her career grow and mature over time. She’s got a bright future (and yes, I see the irony in this middle aged white woman saying "it's good but when she gets more experience it will be better." about a young Asian American writer's work).
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Take by Kelly Yang first intrigued me with it's premise of aging. The story centers around two women, one at the later stages of her career and the other just finding her way into her life and career. An experimental technology is available to transfuse the blood of the two women. The younger would age, the older one would become youthful again. The price of youth, three million dollars. Is the price too high to pay, for either woman?
Women and aging is a common theme. Few embrace the natural occurrence, for if they did, there would be much less money spent on procedures, products and medications to halt or slow the process. As a woman in my sixties myself, I can relate to the feeling of lost youth, yet not the extremeness of the solution. Yang writes about a movie producer, Ingrid, who finds her health is compromised do to her aging and seeks a young woman to transfuse with to regain her youth and competitive drive in her cut-throat Hollywood industry. Maggie, a 23 year old Asian descent young woman is a struggling writer, trying to survive on her own while wanting to make her immigrant parents proud. The payoff feels worthwhile to Maggie, three million for ten transfusions. But Ingrid doesn't share all the information about the risk.
I was curious how Yang would tell this story. It was good, I liked the idea that the two women would learn and grow from each other. Yet, it made me sad too. Without giving away the story, I will just say it dealt with a struggle of women using each other to get what they want, or need, instead of building each other up to be stronger together. Sadly, I think this is more true than false. So much competition ensues between women trying to beat time and each other to maintain their relevance in our society.
The book makes one contemplate, is the end result worth the deceit and hurt. Does the betrayal outweigh the experience?
When The Take hits the shelves on April 14, 2026, read it and see how you feel. What would you do?
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
Women and aging is a common theme. Few embrace the natural occurrence, for if they did, there would be much less money spent on procedures, products and medications to halt or slow the process. As a woman in my sixties myself, I can relate to the feeling of lost youth, yet not the extremeness of the solution. Yang writes about a movie producer, Ingrid, who finds her health is compromised do to her aging and seeks a young woman to transfuse with to regain her youth and competitive drive in her cut-throat Hollywood industry. Maggie, a 23 year old Asian descent young woman is a struggling writer, trying to survive on her own while wanting to make her immigrant parents proud. The payoff feels worthwhile to Maggie, three million for ten transfusions. But Ingrid doesn't share all the information about the risk.
I was curious how Yang would tell this story. It was good, I liked the idea that the two women would learn and grow from each other. Yet, it made me sad too. Without giving away the story, I will just say it dealt with a struggle of women using each other to get what they want, or need, instead of building each other up to be stronger together. Sadly, I think this is more true than false. So much competition ensues between women trying to beat time and each other to maintain their relevance in our society.
The book makes one contemplate, is the end result worth the deceit and hurt. Does the betrayal outweigh the experience?
When The Take hits the shelves on April 14, 2026, read it and see how you feel. What would you do?
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Similar to Yellowface, this novel offers a unique take on the publishing industry (and Hollywood, and honestly the Arts in general) and intersections of race, sex, and class.
Struggling in her MFA program, 23-year-old Maggie Wang gets a scathing critique of her writing from an author she admires, and feels like no one respects her due to her youth and lack of experience.
Meanwhile, Ingrid, a white movie producer in her 50s, has been struggling to get financing for a book adaptation she wants to make as she feels everyone's more excited about the fresh young ingénue. And of course, her husband's cheating on her.
To make matters worse, Ingrid's doctor says she has precancer markers, but he can offer an experimental new treatment. If she can find a willing donor for a blood transfusion, Ingrid can become 10 years younger — the only twist is that the donor will become 10 years older. Who would be willing to risk that? Well, Ingrid's husband just got $3M in a settlement and he's willing to offer it all up to the lucky young person willing to undergo this treatment with Ingrid.
And when Ingrid and Maggie's paths cross, it seems all great — Ingrid can get her youth back, and Maggie can get to spend time with an experienced mentor who can offer her feedback on her writing.
But of course, things are about to get messy...
Overall, I found this got bogged down in the 'work drama' of Maggie trying to use Ingrid to claw her way to a successful career in publishing / screen-writing. And of course Ingrid is going to push her down and block her. Despite that, this just wasn't that dramatic to me? It felt fairly predictable unfortunately and while I really wanted to like it, it was just too Mean Girls where everyone's trying to use each other without being fun or gossipy.
Struggling in her MFA program, 23-year-old Maggie Wang gets a scathing critique of her writing from an author she admires, and feels like no one respects her due to her youth and lack of experience.
Meanwhile, Ingrid, a white movie producer in her 50s, has been struggling to get financing for a book adaptation she wants to make as she feels everyone's more excited about the fresh young ingénue. And of course, her husband's cheating on her.
To make matters worse, Ingrid's doctor says she has precancer markers, but he can offer an experimental new treatment. If she can find a willing donor for a blood transfusion, Ingrid can become 10 years younger — the only twist is that the donor will become 10 years older. Who would be willing to risk that? Well, Ingrid's husband just got $3M in a settlement and he's willing to offer it all up to the lucky young person willing to undergo this treatment with Ingrid.
And when Ingrid and Maggie's paths cross, it seems all great — Ingrid can get her youth back, and Maggie can get to spend time with an experienced mentor who can offer her feedback on her writing.
But of course, things are about to get messy...
Overall, I found this got bogged down in the 'work drama' of Maggie trying to use Ingrid to claw her way to a successful career in publishing / screen-writing. And of course Ingrid is going to push her down and block her. Despite that, this just wasn't that dramatic to me? It felt fairly predictable unfortunately and while I really wanted to like it, it was just too Mean Girls where everyone's trying to use each other without being fun or gossipy.
September 1, 2025
What a wonderful, zippy, engaging, fascinating book!
I couldn’t put it down. It consumed most of a day for me because it was so riveting.
A 23-year-old Chinese American woman in an MFA program is trying to break into the publishing world. A 55+ white woman rich and famous movie producer wants to be young again (and be attractive to her straying husband). The producer has found a blood transfusion program that will trim 10 years off her life — if only she can find a young person to trade blood with here. How can she entice someone to trade their youth for her money — and/or possible influence to become a successful writer?
This is such an intriguing premise. The plot almost jumps off the page. But it’s the engaging way the author weaves her tale that makes it so great. The story raises so many important questions:
* What is it worth to have fame? Or a sexy youthful body?
* How much do we let other people take from us?
* How do we handle the narcissistic people in our lives, especially if they have power over us?
* What is it like for 2nd generation immigrants to deal with their parents’ high hopes for them?
“The Take” is a perfect double entendre for a title, referring both to a “take” in movie lingo and “take” as in robbing another person of something of value.
The author has taken the best from YA writing, and brought it to an adult audience. A real accomplishment.
This will make an awesome movie. Book clubs will love it. Go out and buy this book, and insist that your public library order several copies.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance review copy.
I couldn’t put it down. It consumed most of a day for me because it was so riveting.
A 23-year-old Chinese American woman in an MFA program is trying to break into the publishing world. A 55+ white woman rich and famous movie producer wants to be young again (and be attractive to her straying husband). The producer has found a blood transfusion program that will trim 10 years off her life — if only she can find a young person to trade blood with here. How can she entice someone to trade their youth for her money — and/or possible influence to become a successful writer?
This is such an intriguing premise. The plot almost jumps off the page. But it’s the engaging way the author weaves her tale that makes it so great. The story raises so many important questions:
* What is it worth to have fame? Or a sexy youthful body?
* How much do we let other people take from us?
* How do we handle the narcissistic people in our lives, especially if they have power over us?
* What is it like for 2nd generation immigrants to deal with their parents’ high hopes for them?
“The Take” is a perfect double entendre for a title, referring both to a “take” in movie lingo and “take” as in robbing another person of something of value.
The author has taken the best from YA writing, and brought it to an adult audience. A real accomplishment.
This will make an awesome movie. Book clubs will love it. Go out and buy this book, and insist that your public library order several copies.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance review copy.
March 22, 2026
Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Woof, that was a wild ride.
Maggie Wang is an aspiring writer, but she's struggling while her friends and boyfriend are all quickly finding success. After losing her job trying to make industry connections, her supportive roommate finds a job opportunity with the famous movie producer Ingrid Parker. Getting the job offer is too good to be true; participate in ten experimental medical sessions for $3 million during which she can get wisdom from an industry veteran. But who is really taking from whom?
Wow, I will say that I think the characters are superbly written. Both Maggie and Ingrid struggle with misogyny in the entertainment industry, but there's a clear distinction between their struggles. Maggie's youth and naivety is apparent and well-done. Her experience as the daughter of immigrants paints a heart-breaking image of sacrifice and childhood trauma. Ingrid's view of herself as an aging woman in a failing marriage is relatable to many women as the beauty of their youth slowly fades into the background. She has had to work significantly harder than her male peers to achieve success.
This reminded me of Yellowface in the best way possible. It's a critique and deeper look into feminism, racism, misogyny, and power imbalance in the entertainment industry. It's an especially powerful look at why white feminism fails marginalized women.
While sometimes the point comes across quite strongly, I don't really think it's that different from what we really see in the real world. The medical procedure in The Take echoes rich celebrities opting for surrogacy to have their child not because of a medical need but because they don't want to carry the risk of pregnancy and the effects on their bodies. How our country was built using POC labor and bodies. How we continue to rely on immigrants for "unskilled labor" while the media portrays them as the one taking from those who "rightly" deserve the jobs that nobody else wants. Even the fact that Maggie and Ingrid are the first women to attempt the procedure after having success with many men in the past echoes the lack of care given to women and AFAB people in the medical industry.
Clever, blood-boiling, and wildly entertaining, I absolutely loved The Take, and I think it would be the perfect book club book. There are really too many things that can be gleaned and discussed! I need to gab about it with friends STAT.
#BerkleyPartner
Woof, that was a wild ride.
Maggie Wang is an aspiring writer, but she's struggling while her friends and boyfriend are all quickly finding success. After losing her job trying to make industry connections, her supportive roommate finds a job opportunity with the famous movie producer Ingrid Parker. Getting the job offer is too good to be true; participate in ten experimental medical sessions for $3 million during which she can get wisdom from an industry veteran. But who is really taking from whom?
Wow, I will say that I think the characters are superbly written. Both Maggie and Ingrid struggle with misogyny in the entertainment industry, but there's a clear distinction between their struggles. Maggie's youth and naivety is apparent and well-done. Her experience as the daughter of immigrants paints a heart-breaking image of sacrifice and childhood trauma. Ingrid's view of herself as an aging woman in a failing marriage is relatable to many women as the beauty of their youth slowly fades into the background. She has had to work significantly harder than her male peers to achieve success.
This reminded me of Yellowface in the best way possible. It's a critique and deeper look into feminism, racism, misogyny, and power imbalance in the entertainment industry. It's an especially powerful look at why white feminism fails marginalized women.
While sometimes the point comes across quite strongly, I don't really think it's that different from what we really see in the real world. The medical procedure in The Take echoes rich celebrities opting for surrogacy to have their child not because of a medical need but because they don't want to carry the risk of pregnancy and the effects on their bodies. How our country was built using POC labor and bodies. How we continue to rely on immigrants for "unskilled labor" while the media portrays them as the one taking from those who "rightly" deserve the jobs that nobody else wants. Even the fact that Maggie and Ingrid are the first women to attempt the procedure after having success with many men in the past echoes the lack of care given to women and AFAB people in the medical industry.
Clever, blood-boiling, and wildly entertaining, I absolutely loved The Take, and I think it would be the perfect book club book. There are really too many things that can be gleaned and discussed! I need to gab about it with friends STAT.
#BerkleyPartner
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I am a writer, so I’m always reading. And once in a while, maybe every 15 books or so, I will stumble upon a gem of a book, you know the kind—the one that swallows you whole and doesn’t let go until the very end. The kind of book that you can’t bear to put down, and even after you finish, you go about the rest of your day in a haze. The kind of book that makes you want to grab people and hiss at them to get a copy and read it right now.
The Take is one of these books for me. From the very first page, Yang’s words sucked me in wholly. It felt like I was listening to my best friend telling me the juiciest gossip. I was furious on Maggie’s behalf half the time and furious at her for her bad decisions the other half of the time, and you know what? I loved every moment of it. Because I totally related to her. I know what it’s like to have a dream so big that I would sell my soul to achieve it. Maggie isn’t choosing to sell her soul, though, she is choosing to sell her youth. And the process is not pretty.
Yang takes on some huge themes in this book. Privilege, race, socioeconomic inequality, power dynamics, ageism. It sounds like a lot, but somehow, Yang manages to do justice to these themes without detracting from the plot.
Listen, I know it’s only March, but I already know this book is going to be on my top 3 books of 2026 list.
The Take is one of these books for me. From the very first page, Yang’s words sucked me in wholly. It felt like I was listening to my best friend telling me the juiciest gossip. I was furious on Maggie’s behalf half the time and furious at her for her bad decisions the other half of the time, and you know what? I loved every moment of it. Because I totally related to her. I know what it’s like to have a dream so big that I would sell my soul to achieve it. Maggie isn’t choosing to sell her soul, though, she is choosing to sell her youth. And the process is not pretty.
Yang takes on some huge themes in this book. Privilege, race, socioeconomic inequality, power dynamics, ageism. It sounds like a lot, but somehow, Yang manages to do justice to these themes without detracting from the plot.
Listen, I know it’s only March, but I already know this book is going to be on my top 3 books of 2026 list.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I received this book from a Goodreads Giveaway from Berkeley Penguin Random House publishing.
I work as a school librarian and I am a big fan of Kelly Yang and the Front Desk series. When I saw on instagram she was writing a novel for adults I immediately I added the title to my TBR list. Super excited when I found out I won an advanced copy to read and review.
The novel hooks the reader immediately. There are a lot of great themes to explore in the novel. Like feminism, ageism, classism, immigration, friendship, beauty standards, etc. I loved the idea of the blood transfusions between two women: one white and older, the other Chinese and younger. It is far fetched and bizarre but totally realistic. If this was a procedure that actually existed people would be killing themselves to do it. As a reader you will be rooting for them until Yang works her magic and employs the twist. Ingrid may not be the feminist-forward-thinking-believes in equality movie producer she thinks she is. Once that realization hits the reader will be clenching their jaw rooting for Maggie to realize her potential and take back her life.
I work as a school librarian and I am a big fan of Kelly Yang and the Front Desk series. When I saw on instagram she was writing a novel for adults I immediately I added the title to my TBR list. Super excited when I found out I won an advanced copy to read and review.
The novel hooks the reader immediately. There are a lot of great themes to explore in the novel. Like feminism, ageism, classism, immigration, friendship, beauty standards, etc. I loved the idea of the blood transfusions between two women: one white and older, the other Chinese and younger. It is far fetched and bizarre but totally realistic. If this was a procedure that actually existed people would be killing themselves to do it. As a reader you will be rooting for them until Yang works her magic and employs the twist. Ingrid may not be the feminist-forward-thinking-believes in equality movie producer she thinks she is. Once that realization hits the reader will be clenching their jaw rooting for Maggie to realize her potential and take back her life.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
“You either make something, or break something” are words Ingrid Parker, famous Hollywood producer, says to her mentee, Maggie Wang at the start of this brilliant novel. It seemed to me to sum up a theme in this book: make your choices wisely because Dane and ambition are fleeting.
From the very first sentence I was hooked. As Maggie Wang seeks to make a name for herself as a writer, she seems to step into quagmires until an impossible offer presents itself: share blood with this wealthy women and make $3 million (wipe out your debts, help your parents and be able to support yourself writing. Too good to be true? Maybe, maybe not?
This book pits two creative women against each other: one wants to be heard, the other seeks relevancy. What starts out as transactional turns into a psychological game of who will get the upper hand. In the telling the story exposes what happens when ambition overtakes relevancy. The subplot of ageism and racism sheds a light on the plight women of color have in the white world and what aging women face in a man’s world.
Ingrid starts out likable but she soon reveals her true self. Maggie is a coming-of-age character who you root for but she too has a side that can be off putting. The magical realism of a treatment to reduce aging and character inversion was so delightfully clever. And the ending was a surprise but a very good one.
I’d like to thank NetGalley/ BookBrowse and Berkley Punishing for allowing me to read this ARC.
From the very first sentence I was hooked. As Maggie Wang seeks to make a name for herself as a writer, she seems to step into quagmires until an impossible offer presents itself: share blood with this wealthy women and make $3 million (wipe out your debts, help your parents and be able to support yourself writing. Too good to be true? Maybe, maybe not?
This book pits two creative women against each other: one wants to be heard, the other seeks relevancy. What starts out as transactional turns into a psychological game of who will get the upper hand. In the telling the story exposes what happens when ambition overtakes relevancy. The subplot of ageism and racism sheds a light on the plight women of color have in the white world and what aging women face in a man’s world.
Ingrid starts out likable but she soon reveals her true self. Maggie is a coming-of-age character who you root for but she too has a side that can be off putting. The magical realism of a treatment to reduce aging and character inversion was so delightfully clever. And the ending was a surprise but a very good one.
I’d like to thank NetGalley/ BookBrowse and Berkley Punishing for allowing me to read this ARC.
September 8, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for a review - all opinions here stated are my own.
I believe this is my first Kelly Yang book and as I understand it, she primarily write for youth.
I can't say I loved this book but I also didn't dislike it - lets unpack it all.
The premise is really fun - with it's Grass is Always Greener sort of take on aging and experience. And if I am writing a review here - which I am - it would have been a DNF because it took me far too long to latch onto this book. I enjoyed the last 25%, but I felt like the early parts of the book were written for teenagers and not adults. I found the writing a little simplistic and the characters mystifying. However I really wanted to see how the book resolved so I pressed on.
I never really liked the characters in all, but the way the book resolves is why it gets a 3*
I believe this is my first Kelly Yang book and as I understand it, she primarily write for youth.
I can't say I loved this book but I also didn't dislike it - lets unpack it all.
The premise is really fun - with it's Grass is Always Greener sort of take on aging and experience. And if I am writing a review here - which I am - it would have been a DNF because it took me far too long to latch onto this book. I enjoyed the last 25%, but I felt like the early parts of the book were written for teenagers and not adults. I found the writing a little simplistic and the characters mystifying. However I really wanted to see how the book resolved so I pressed on.
I never really liked the characters in all, but the way the book resolves is why it gets a 3*
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