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Tiny Imperfections
The Devil Wears Prada meets Class Mom in this delicious novel of love, money, and misbehaving parents.
One of The Daily Skimm's Reads Pick for May 2020
One of Good Housekeeping's 20 Best New Fiction Books of 2020
Good Morning America Mother's Day in Quarantine Books to Buy
One of New York Post's Best Books of the Week in May 2020
PopSugars Most Exciting Books for May 2020
One of SheReads Most Anticipated Books of 2020
Delightful . . . Hilarious, cringe-worthy, and all too relevant. I ate this book up like a box of candy; you will too. --Tara Conklin, author of The Last Romantics
All's fair in love and kindergarten admissions.
At thirty-nine, Josie Bordelon's modeling career as the it black beauty of the '90s is far behind her. Now director of admissions at San Francisco's most sought after private school, she's chic, single, and determined to keep her seventeen-year-old daughter, Etta, from making the same mistakes she did.
But Etta has plans of her own--and their beloved matriarch, Aunt Viv, has Etta's back. If only Josie could manage Etta's future as well as she manages the shenanigans of the over-anxious, over-eager parents at school--or her best friend's attempts to coax Josie out of her sex sabbatical and back onto the dating scene.
As admissions season heats up, Josie discovers that when it comes to matters of the heart--and the office--the biggest surprises lie closest to home.
One of The Daily Skimm's Reads Pick for May 2020
One of Good Housekeeping's 20 Best New Fiction Books of 2020
Good Morning America Mother's Day in Quarantine Books to Buy
One of New York Post's Best Books of the Week in May 2020
PopSugars Most Exciting Books for May 2020
One of SheReads Most Anticipated Books of 2020
Delightful . . . Hilarious, cringe-worthy, and all too relevant. I ate this book up like a box of candy; you will too. --Tara Conklin, author of The Last Romantics
All's fair in love and kindergarten admissions.
At thirty-nine, Josie Bordelon's modeling career as the it black beauty of the '90s is far behind her. Now director of admissions at San Francisco's most sought after private school, she's chic, single, and determined to keep her seventeen-year-old daughter, Etta, from making the same mistakes she did.
But Etta has plans of her own--and their beloved matriarch, Aunt Viv, has Etta's back. If only Josie could manage Etta's future as well as she manages the shenanigans of the over-anxious, over-eager parents at school--or her best friend's attempts to coax Josie out of her sex sabbatical and back onto the dating scene.
As admissions season heats up, Josie discovers that when it comes to matters of the heart--and the office--the biggest surprises lie closest to home.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 5, 2020
514 people are currently reading
8288 people want to read
About the author
Alli Frank
5 books158 followersThe robustness of a farm girl, the honed sophistication of a city woman, a dash of Jewish chutzpah, and a heaping cup of endurance athlete and voila, you have Alli Frank. Alli was raised in Yakima, WA, the only child of two parents who instilled in her that hard work coupled with a resilient spirit will take you where you want to go. So up some of the highest mountains Alli climbed, down insanely steep terrain she skied and across long swathes of land she ran. To pay for all this adventure, Alli has worked in education for over 20 years in San Francisco and Seattle - from an overcrowded, cacophonous public high school to a pristine private girl's school. She has been a teacher, curriculum leader, coach, college counselor, assistant head, private school co-founder, sometimes pastor, often mayor, and de facto parent therapist. A graduate of Cornell and Stanford Universities, Alli can still be found with her nose deep in a book or hunkered down at the movies, never one to miss a great story. Alli lives in Seattle, Washington with her husband, two daughters and terribly cute mini-Bernedoodle. When she needs good food (cause she can't really cook) she turns to her co-author Asha Youmans.
(source: Amazon)
(source: Amazon)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 511 reviews
May 8, 2020
Grand-aunt, mother, daughter relations surrounded with smart humor, genuine and emotional writing and great touch of romance, self-discovery and self-growing vibes.
It is sweet, fun, soft, entertaining with easily relatable characters, interesting, moving storyline, three generation’s communication problems.
Josie, once upon a time a selected, successful, beautiful model, retired because she’s 39 and she cannot defeat her half aged competitors. Now she starts her brand new job as director of admissions at San Francisco’s most popular private school. Yes, what a coolest job tag for her chic, presentable appearance. She is back, she is still strong, she will survive as like Gloria Gaynor advised her. Now job part is done and she starts adapting her independent, single mother life but her 17 years old Etta doesn’t share same ideals she planned for her. She wanted her daughter have a proper college education and find an appropriate job so she does not have to make same mistakes she’d done with her life.
Josie’s mother abandoned her to live with her Aunt Viv when she was little to chase her career oriented life. Now Josie wants to be good caring mother but her daughter’s dream to be a dancer and plans to apply to Juillard Conservatory disappoints her. And the worst part is Aunt Viv supports her daughter’s plans.
As admission season starts, Josie thinks she will chance her sex sabbatical plans after seeing two hot dads but then she realizes they’re two dad gays and she wishes one of them she named golden boy may change his play side! What a shame! But wait a second! Her aunt Viv has heart attack and she takes her to the hospital ASAP. Guess who saved her aunt’s life and wins all those brownie points? Yes, golden boy Ty is back again!
The admission parts and the emails Josie got from the obnoxious, batshit crazy parents made me laugh so hard! And I enjoyed all those characters and had so much fun. I am so ready to read any sequel written about them.
Even though story’s direction and conclusion are predictable, I still enjoyed it. ( I always choose predictability over disappointment!)
Overall: It is funny, entertaining, soft, sweet, feel-good reading! I’m giving my 4 positive, genuine, family bounding stars! I literally devoured this book in half day and I recommend it to you all who is already exhausted to live same Groundhog day and looking for a brightening reading to get rid of darkening moods.
Special thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN Putnam/ G.P. Putnam’s Sons for sharing this ARC with me in exchange my honest review.
It is sweet, fun, soft, entertaining with easily relatable characters, interesting, moving storyline, three generation’s communication problems.
Josie, once upon a time a selected, successful, beautiful model, retired because she’s 39 and she cannot defeat her half aged competitors. Now she starts her brand new job as director of admissions at San Francisco’s most popular private school. Yes, what a coolest job tag for her chic, presentable appearance. She is back, she is still strong, she will survive as like Gloria Gaynor advised her. Now job part is done and she starts adapting her independent, single mother life but her 17 years old Etta doesn’t share same ideals she planned for her. She wanted her daughter have a proper college education and find an appropriate job so she does not have to make same mistakes she’d done with her life.
Josie’s mother abandoned her to live with her Aunt Viv when she was little to chase her career oriented life. Now Josie wants to be good caring mother but her daughter’s dream to be a dancer and plans to apply to Juillard Conservatory disappoints her. And the worst part is Aunt Viv supports her daughter’s plans.
As admission season starts, Josie thinks she will chance her sex sabbatical plans after seeing two hot dads but then she realizes they’re two dad gays and she wishes one of them she named golden boy may change his play side! What a shame! But wait a second! Her aunt Viv has heart attack and she takes her to the hospital ASAP. Guess who saved her aunt’s life and wins all those brownie points? Yes, golden boy Ty is back again!
The admission parts and the emails Josie got from the obnoxious, batshit crazy parents made me laugh so hard! And I enjoyed all those characters and had so much fun. I am so ready to read any sequel written about them.
Even though story’s direction and conclusion are predictable, I still enjoyed it. ( I always choose predictability over disappointment!)
Overall: It is funny, entertaining, soft, sweet, feel-good reading! I’m giving my 4 positive, genuine, family bounding stars! I literally devoured this book in half day and I recommend it to you all who is already exhausted to live same Groundhog day and looking for a brightening reading to get rid of darkening moods.
Special thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN Putnam/ G.P. Putnam’s Sons for sharing this ARC with me in exchange my honest review.
November 28, 2020
Tiny Imperfections folllows Josie Bordelon, the Director of Admissions at an elite San Francisco private school as she ramps up for another application season. This year, Josie is also guiding her own 17 year old daughter, Etta, through the college admission process though the two don’t see eye-to-eye on Etta’s future. Etta also has the support of Aunt Viv, who took Josie and Etta in years ago when Josie returned home as a young single mom after her modeling career ended.
Family drama, friendships, helicopter parents, a bad boss, and a hot (yet unavailable) dad are all at play in Tiny Imperfections. This is a lighter story — I thought parts were funny and enjoyed the implied message that while their actions may be questionable, at the end of the day most parents just want (what they think is) the best for their kids.
I didn’t know until I finished the book and read the acknowledgements that Alli Frank and Asha Youmans previously worked at a school together. I thought this was cool and their familiarity with the competitive school process shows in the story.
Family drama, friendships, helicopter parents, a bad boss, and a hot (yet unavailable) dad are all at play in Tiny Imperfections. This is a lighter story — I thought parts were funny and enjoyed the implied message that while their actions may be questionable, at the end of the day most parents just want (what they think is) the best for their kids.
I didn’t know until I finished the book and read the acknowledgements that Alli Frank and Asha Youmans previously worked at a school together. I thought this was cool and their familiarity with the competitive school process shows in the story.
May 6, 2020
Josie is thirty-nine and a former model from the 90s. In her current life, she’s the director of admissions at a private school in San Francisco. She also has Etta, her seventeen year old daughter, to keep out of trouble.
Also in the picture is Aunt Viv, the matriarch of the family, and Etta is the apple of her eye. Josie’s work life is pretty chaotic because of the demanding parents who want their children IN the private school. And Josie’s best friend thinks it’s high time Josie finds love again.
Tiny Imperfections is an authentic and, at times emotional, read. There are some funny parts, so much to relate to, and most of all, hope. Overall, I think Tiny Imperfections was tons of fun and a great escape right now.
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Also in the picture is Aunt Viv, the matriarch of the family, and Etta is the apple of her eye. Josie’s work life is pretty chaotic because of the demanding parents who want their children IN the private school. And Josie’s best friend thinks it’s high time Josie finds love again.
Tiny Imperfections is an authentic and, at times emotional, read. There are some funny parts, so much to relate to, and most of all, hope. Overall, I think Tiny Imperfections was tons of fun and a great escape right now.
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
November 17, 2020
Alli Frank and Asha Youmans'
Tiny Imperfections
is a lighthearted romp through the world of private school admissions, with some family drama thrown in for good measure.
Raised by her aunt in San Francisco, Josie was able to get a scholarship to one of the city’s most prestigious private schools. She dropped out of college, spent a few years as one of the hottest models in the world, and then returned home with a young daughter, Etta, and moved back in with her aunt. Josie is now director of admissions at her alma mater, where she gets to preside over ultra-wealthy parents trying to compete to get their kids a spot at the school.
This year seems like it will be crazier than ever for Josie. Not only is Etta graduating—and her future plans differ vastly from what Josie wants for her—but her best friend is determined to help Josie break out of her sexual slump.
She also has to contend with the parents who are desperate to get their children into the school, particularly a high-maintenance woman with boundary issues, and a pair of husbands she can’t quite figure out. Throw in a manipulative boss and the pressure is mounting!
I thought this was a fun and enjoyable read, one I devoured pretty quickly. There’s humor, emotions, backstabbing, a surprise or two (one I really didn't see coming), and even some family drama!
I enjoyed the characters very much, and even though some of what happened was a bit predictable, I couldn’t get enough of the story. I’d love to see another book with these characters—Alli and Asha, are you listening?
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2019 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2019.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
Raised by her aunt in San Francisco, Josie was able to get a scholarship to one of the city’s most prestigious private schools. She dropped out of college, spent a few years as one of the hottest models in the world, and then returned home with a young daughter, Etta, and moved back in with her aunt. Josie is now director of admissions at her alma mater, where she gets to preside over ultra-wealthy parents trying to compete to get their kids a spot at the school.
This year seems like it will be crazier than ever for Josie. Not only is Etta graduating—and her future plans differ vastly from what Josie wants for her—but her best friend is determined to help Josie break out of her sexual slump.
She also has to contend with the parents who are desperate to get their children into the school, particularly a high-maintenance woman with boundary issues, and a pair of husbands she can’t quite figure out. Throw in a manipulative boss and the pressure is mounting!
I thought this was a fun and enjoyable read, one I devoured pretty quickly. There’s humor, emotions, backstabbing, a surprise or two (one I really didn't see coming), and even some family drama!
I enjoyed the characters very much, and even though some of what happened was a bit predictable, I couldn’t get enough of the story. I’d love to see another book with these characters—Alli and Asha, are you listening?
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2019 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2019.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
June 22, 2020
❝ She grew inside me, developed a heart right underneath mine and sometimes I know what she's feeling before she does.
☆☆ | Juvenile. Insulting. Cringe-worthy.
Where do I begin? I suppose I'd like to start out with what I believed were this book's strongest points. The discussion on privilege and class were fascinating, and I thought that they were done with a very humorous but conscious hand. There were a few lines I laughed at and that were genuinely funny, and there were a few characters such as Aunt Viv that I grew to love.
That being said, I found the book not only cringe-worthy and predictable, but also incredibly insulting in more ways than one. I want to make it clear that I am a queer woman and although I cannot speak on the themes of race, I do believe I can speak on the poor representation of LGBTQ people in this book.
Frankly, I thought the gay representation in this story was horrendous. It was painfully, painfully clear that there were no sensitivity readers for this book. What the hell? I seriously question how some of these lines got published.
Let's get started on this dissection, shall we?
Right from the get-go, our main character Josie introduces Roan who is in every sense the overused trope of the gay best friend. Let me make something clear: I know that there are gay men out there who fit certain stereotypes very well. They can be flamboyant and love gossip and fashion, and there is NOTHING wrong with being queer and fitting certain queer stereotypes. What I find issue with is when cisgender straight women write a gay character into their story who is the epitome of every stereotype that ever was, and does not contrast them with a more non-conforming gay man. I hate when straight authors will just plop in a gay character for "diversity points" and fit them nicely into an overused and, frankly harmful, trope.
I am tired of seeing gay men in books just to be that girly, femme side character that complains about excersize and lusts over every man within a six-foot radius. We. Are. Tired.
But love, that is only where my issues BEGAN.
Page 33 of the paperback, and Roan is predicting who will walk into the room:
"One is carrying some extra dad weight. He's the mom."
Pardon? This is a gay, MALE/MALE relationship. There IS no mom in the relationship, that is the point. This line insinuates that there needs to be a female figure in a gay relationship which is not only low key homophobic, but also in a way sexist. And the fact that the one gay character said this? Nope, just nope.
Now we continue a few scenes later to page 35, where our chic heroine Josie says this:
"I wonder, yet again, why the best-looking men in San Francisco are gay."
Mind you, I myself live in a city near San Francisco. Not only does this one line fetishize the hell out of gay men, but it also is enforcing yet another stereotype that the Bay Area is full of gays. Do you understand how harmful that is? The Bay Area is a wonderfully diverse place, I agree, but pegging it as this hub for gays is just so harmful and accomplishes nothing.
READ MY FULL REVIEW IN THIS BLOG POST HERE: https://lethethereader.wordpress.com/...
April 30, 2020
Josie Bordelon is the director of admissions at the prestigious Fairchild Country Day School in San Francisco. She is gearing up for the next set of applications and her days are filled with eager parents wanting to enroll their children and schedule interviews. Josie is a pro at managing expectations having attended the school herself and is all too familiar with the landscape of the community.
Josie is currently experiencing a role reversal as she navigates the college admissions process with her seventeen-year-old daughter. She raised Etta with the help of her Aunt Viv and there are strong disagreements among the three about the best choices. Josie would like her daughter to avoid the mistakes that she made in her life and is overly involved in the process. Together they must find a balance while allowing Etta the chance to make her own decisions.
Tiny Imperfections is a debut novel by Alli Frank and Asha Youmans. This book brings readers inside the admissions process while you experience the protagonist's inner thoughts. The results are humorous with cheeky commentary as Josie vents about parents and the school’s administration. There is also a lot of love between the pages as Josie explores the relationship with her daughter while plotting her future.
Josie is currently experiencing a role reversal as she navigates the college admissions process with her seventeen-year-old daughter. She raised Etta with the help of her Aunt Viv and there are strong disagreements among the three about the best choices. Josie would like her daughter to avoid the mistakes that she made in her life and is overly involved in the process. Together they must find a balance while allowing Etta the chance to make her own decisions.
Tiny Imperfections is a debut novel by Alli Frank and Asha Youmans. This book brings readers inside the admissions process while you experience the protagonist's inner thoughts. The results are humorous with cheeky commentary as Josie vents about parents and the school’s administration. There is also a lot of love between the pages as Josie explores the relationship with her daughter while plotting her future.
August 20, 2020
real rating: 3.5/5 stars
I really wanted to read this book as soon as I saw the cover. It's about an ex-runway model who got pregnant during a layover/flight to a fashion show and suddenly, real-life slaps her in the face. She has no college education, no jobs, and a baby she gotta take care of. So she gets a job at a prestigious prep school that EVERYONE around the world wants to get into so their children can make it to the Ivey league schools. Fighting against racism, bad boyfriends, crazy tiger moms, and a daughter who wants to give in her dream of becoming a professional ballerina instead of a practical profession, our main heroine tries to balance it all. I loved how deep this book was. She criticized tiger moms throughout the book without realizing she became her worst enemy.
I'M GOING TO LOWER MY 4 STAR RATING BECAUSE I hated the LGBTQ rep in this book. I may not be the most educated but I know the stereotypes, phrases used, and also the whole fake gay thing is wrong.
I really wanted to read this book as soon as I saw the cover. It's about an ex-runway model who got pregnant during a layover/flight to a fashion show and suddenly, real-life slaps her in the face. She has no college education, no jobs, and a baby she gotta take care of. So she gets a job at a prestigious prep school that EVERYONE around the world wants to get into so their children can make it to the Ivey league schools. Fighting against racism, bad boyfriends, crazy tiger moms, and a daughter who wants to give in her dream of becoming a professional ballerina instead of a practical profession, our main heroine tries to balance it all. I loved how deep this book was. She criticized tiger moms throughout the book without realizing she became her worst enemy.
I'M GOING TO LOWER MY 4 STAR RATING BECAUSE I hated the LGBTQ rep in this book. I may not be the most educated but I know the stereotypes, phrases used, and also the whole fake gay thing is wrong.
June 29, 2020
This was a charming read. Honestly the most hilarious parts were the parents’ emails and letters to Josie... they made me laugh so hard.
The romance was cute, even if for half the book I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to develop expectations toward a honestly dashing leadin man, as he was presented as a forbidden fruit in more ways than one. Still, it was impossible not to fall for this amazing book boyfriend.
I also loved the stong women in the story and their multi-generational bond.
The romance was cute, even if for half the book I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to develop expectations toward a honestly dashing leadin man, as he was presented as a forbidden fruit in more ways than one. Still, it was impossible not to fall for this amazing book boyfriend.
I also loved the stong women in the story and their multi-generational bond.
May 5, 2020
This review is based on an ARC copy of this novel. I hope much changed between this copy and the finished one, honestly. I rarely give less than three stars to a book, but there was just sooo much wrong with this one. Where to even begin? The severely unlikeable main character, the weird racial comments, the two second switch to all is well at the end, the glossing over of the completely inappropriate circumstances of a romantic relationship, the painful predictability...? The list goes on and on. Just when I thought the main character, Josie, couldn’t think/do/say something that would be even more of a huge put off for me, she goes and one ups herself. I wish I could quote the numerous distasteful things I ran across, but don’t really want to mark this with spoilers. I may change my mind and add them later. For all these reasons, I hope many changes were made between the ARC and finished copy.
January 17, 2020
Cute but predictable. I figured out a major plot line early on.
July 25, 2022
Written mostly in a millennial banter (think Facebook posts and texts by people of a certain age), this story of a kindergarten admissions director during applications season is fun. Although I got a little tired of the cute persona voice, there were times when real emotions came out and I found myself relieved and tuning in.
This book belongs to right now—an era when wealthy people buying admissions are finally prosecuted for misdeeds and self-conscious liberals put their feet in their overactive mouths and a Black person with smarts (the admissions director) knows exactly what is going on all the time.
This was my book club’s pick for August—probably not a book I’d read on my own; just not my thing, but absolutely nothing wrong with it. Well written, sometimes funny, part broad-stroke farce, part romantic fantasy.
All in all, I’m glad I read it, because, even though I foresaw the plot twists, I love that it takes on personal “revisionist history”: “People love to spin a story to make themselves look good, as an innocent bystander or a victim of circumstances, all to ensure they end up with what they originally wanted.” (276) That sentence bumped this from a 3- to a 4-star read for me.
This book belongs to right now—an era when wealthy people buying admissions are finally prosecuted for misdeeds and self-conscious liberals put their feet in their overactive mouths and a Black person with smarts (the admissions director) knows exactly what is going on all the time.
This was my book club’s pick for August—probably not a book I’d read on my own; just not my thing, but absolutely nothing wrong with it. Well written, sometimes funny, part broad-stroke farce, part romantic fantasy.
All in all, I’m glad I read it, because, even though I foresaw the plot twists, I love that it takes on personal “revisionist history”: “People love to spin a story to make themselves look good, as an innocent bystander or a victim of circumstances, all to ensure they end up with what they originally wanted.” (276) That sentence bumped this from a 3- to a 4-star read for me.
September 28, 2020
Tiny Imperfections by Alli Frank & Asha Youmans is such a sweet, funny, and endearing novel! I loved so many of the characters, and I found myself laughing out loud almost nonstop. Overall it was a pretty light read so this will be perfect if you are looking for something to make you laugh, and I would consider it to be a nice beach read since it's quick as well. I knew the direction it was headed as far as the romance part, but that didn't stop me from loving it. Tiny Imperfections ended up being heavy on mother-daughter bonds and relationships with family, and I always love when authors write about those two things.
Tiny Imperfections is also a debut from a female writing duo and I really loved that. There was a great Q&A with Frank and Youmans at the back of the book that you don't want to miss! I listened to the audio but followed along in the book, and the narrator was FANTASTIC. I could have easily read the book quickly, but Bahni Turpin did such a great job with the audio that I didn't want to stop listening to her. The Q&A wasn't included in it though, so I would highly recommend having a physical copy as well so you can get that if you love Q&As as much as I do.
Josie has got to be one of my favorite characters ever, and I would love to see more about the Bordelon family, especially after the ending of Tiny Imperfections. So, Frank and Youmans PLEASE turn this into a series (or at least a sequel). I loved the school setting as well and even though I'm not a parent I still felt very connected to the book and the characters. The inclusion of texts and emails was a nice touch as well and it added some nice texture to the book. After this lovely debut I will definitely be reading anything this duo writes, and I can't wait to read their next book no matter what it is!
Thank you to the publisher for my advance review copy via Edelweiss. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
Tiny Imperfections is also a debut from a female writing duo and I really loved that. There was a great Q&A with Frank and Youmans at the back of the book that you don't want to miss! I listened to the audio but followed along in the book, and the narrator was FANTASTIC. I could have easily read the book quickly, but Bahni Turpin did such a great job with the audio that I didn't want to stop listening to her. The Q&A wasn't included in it though, so I would highly recommend having a physical copy as well so you can get that if you love Q&As as much as I do.
Josie has got to be one of my favorite characters ever, and I would love to see more about the Bordelon family, especially after the ending of Tiny Imperfections. So, Frank and Youmans PLEASE turn this into a series (or at least a sequel). I loved the school setting as well and even though I'm not a parent I still felt very connected to the book and the characters. The inclusion of texts and emails was a nice touch as well and it added some nice texture to the book. After this lovely debut I will definitely be reading anything this duo writes, and I can't wait to read their next book no matter what it is!
Thank you to the publisher for my advance review copy via Edelweiss. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
May 5, 2020
While a good amount of this book focused on Josie's job as a director of admissions at a private school in San Francisco, at its heart, it also dealt with an aging parental figure and a daughter getting ready to leave for college (so yeah all the emotions).
The parents that were applying their rising kindergarteners were really quite ridiculous and overly entitled but the best part was Josie's responses to their emails, ultimately she deleted them but humorous none the less. If you've read Class Mom by Laurie Gelman you'll get a similar vibe from Josie.
I really enjoyed this debut novel and after reading the Q&A with the authors, I'm really hoping for more from Josie, Aunt Viv, Etta, Lola and Ty (aka Golden Boy)!
Thank you to the publisher via ShelfAwareness for the advanced copy; all opinions are my own.
The parents that were applying their rising kindergarteners were really quite ridiculous and overly entitled but the best part was Josie's responses to their emails, ultimately she deleted them but humorous none the less. If you've read Class Mom by Laurie Gelman you'll get a similar vibe from Josie.
I really enjoyed this debut novel and after reading the Q&A with the authors, I'm really hoping for more from Josie, Aunt Viv, Etta, Lola and Ty (aka Golden Boy)!
Thank you to the publisher via ShelfAwareness for the advanced copy; all opinions are my own.
May 10, 2020
PRIVATE SCHOOL ADMISSIONS ARE NOW OPEN. Subtext: Let the freaking out, sucking up, buying in, overstating, under-listening, overselling, calling in of favors, pushing boundaries, and, in general appalling parental antics begin.
The more Bay Area parents feign "it's all good, everything will work out," my stats show what a higher pain in the ass quotient they are.
4 stars
There's no getting around it: this book was Hilarious with a capital H. Multiple times over the course of the book, I found myself actually laughing at loud, starting from the very first page when Josie receives an email from a try-hard, over-the-top, tiger mom. This book was the epitome of feel-good fiction, with a dash of romance from a very unexpected (yet hilariously fitting) source.
At its heart, this book is a story about the Bordelon family, which is comprised of three women from three different generations: Aunt Viv, the matriarch, who has been the Head Cook for over 50 years at Fairchild and who took in a four-year-old Josie when her mother abandoned her, raising her as her own; Josie, Aunt Viv's niece and Etta's mother, who works as the Dean of Admissions at Fairchild, the elite private school that she once attended herself; and Etta, Josie's 17-year-old daughter, who is a senior at Fairchild, one of the best dancers of her age, and currently going through the college admissions process (which causes great stress to her mother). Through Josie's eyes, we see the year unfold and all the drama--both in the family and in the Fairchild admissions process--that that entails.
Both the authors have spent over two decades working in schools, both public and private, and have shared some of the major issues in the current private school system that they've faced around race, class differences, sexual orientation, among others. And ultimately, the book reveals a fundamental truth: there are different ways to find success and happiness, and sometimes, how we want others to find these things isn't always how they want to find them for themselves.
June 21, 2020
This book ultimately fell flat. Which is a shame because it started off so well, but somewhere in the middle, the book just lost the allure for me and was no longer engaging. The main character started to annoy me and I became uninterested in the entire admissions story line. I kept reading to figure out how the climax of the romance was going to be written (bc lets the honest we saw it happening), however even that wasn’t all that interesting & didn’t keep my interest as much as i thought it would. The ending was very much: let’s wrap this up and put a cute bow over it, which was meh at least. I ended up skipping large parts of the book towards the end. I mean it’s an okay read if you have nothing else to do.
July 1, 2020
It was OK, but the witty banter between all the characters exhausted me. I think it just wasn't for me. I skipped a big section in the middle then read the last quarter of the book and didn't have any trouble picking up the plot line at the end.
August 25, 2020
What’s the last book that had you laughing out loud?
Me? THIS ONE. This book is so charming, so witty and fun, and chock full of LOLs.
Is there anything more ridiculous than obscenely rich parents vying for their kids' admissions to an elite private school?
The story follows 3 generations of Black women - Josie, a single admissions director at Fairchild, her daughter Etta, a senior preparing to head out into the world, and Aunt Viv, the matriarch who runs the school cafeteria … and I am NOT ready to let these ladies go. Nor am I ready to say goodbye to the her hysterical best friend Lola or her adorably gay assistant Roan… I am subtly and unashamedly begging and pleading... Alli and Asha, I need a spinoff book for every single character, please!
This book has romance, family, and friendship. It’s got snark and hilarity. It tackles race, elitism, and motherhood in the most refreshing and touching ways. It’s a fun read for parents and teachers - but as I am neither - it’s clearly perfect for anyone!
This book is pure entertainment and I just loved it SO much! A favorite of the year, hands down.
Me? THIS ONE. This book is so charming, so witty and fun, and chock full of LOLs.
Is there anything more ridiculous than obscenely rich parents vying for their kids' admissions to an elite private school?
The story follows 3 generations of Black women - Josie, a single admissions director at Fairchild, her daughter Etta, a senior preparing to head out into the world, and Aunt Viv, the matriarch who runs the school cafeteria … and I am NOT ready to let these ladies go. Nor am I ready to say goodbye to the her hysterical best friend Lola or her adorably gay assistant Roan… I am subtly and unashamedly begging and pleading... Alli and Asha, I need a spinoff book for every single character, please!
This book has romance, family, and friendship. It’s got snark and hilarity. It tackles race, elitism, and motherhood in the most refreshing and touching ways. It’s a fun read for parents and teachers - but as I am neither - it’s clearly perfect for anyone!
This book is pure entertainment and I just loved it SO much! A favorite of the year, hands down.
July 6, 2020
Loved the relationship of Aunt Viv, Josie, and Etta.
This book follows the life navigation of the 3. Josie, the main character, who was a young model who finds herself pregnant and moves to stay with her aunt Viv for help with her baby.
Josie has it all planned out, or so she thought. As she budgets her daughter Etta’s education and extra curricular activities, she’s planning her daughter’s college future. Josie also, being a single parent, would like to have a bit of romance.
Etta is nothing short of a strong young lady, all thanks to the 2 strong women in her life, but she has other plans that her mother is not so happy about. Aunt Viv the mediator, the strong voice of reason, and back bone of the family
Such a cute read that can be so relatable of a single parent who wants the best for their child. However, sometimes you have to think that what you may want is not how it always turns out. The question is, can you accept that?
This book follows the life navigation of the 3. Josie, the main character, who was a young model who finds herself pregnant and moves to stay with her aunt Viv for help with her baby.
Josie has it all planned out, or so she thought. As she budgets her daughter Etta’s education and extra curricular activities, she’s planning her daughter’s college future. Josie also, being a single parent, would like to have a bit of romance.
Etta is nothing short of a strong young lady, all thanks to the 2 strong women in her life, but she has other plans that her mother is not so happy about. Aunt Viv the mediator, the strong voice of reason, and back bone of the family
Such a cute read that can be so relatable of a single parent who wants the best for their child. However, sometimes you have to think that what you may want is not how it always turns out. The question is, can you accept that?
May 25, 2020
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As always, a copy of this book was provided by the author or publisher in exchange for my honest review. This does not effect my opinion in any way.
After nearly two weeks of having mediocre reads that are aiming straight for the DNF pile, Tiny Imperfections single-handedly saved the slump I was in! Alli Frank and Asha Youmans create a perfectly dynamic duo and are definitely a team-up of writers you should be looking into--Tiny Imperfections serves as a perfectly engaging, humorous debut.
And if this book isn't already on your TBR, pile it on.
Like... now.
Tiny Imperfections is a well-balanced story of love, new chapters of life and moving forward. Readers can expect a great deal of heart, soul, emotions to the highest degree, and several laugh-out-loud moments sprinkled within this novel. Each of these traits tie into the center of the novel and make it all the more compulsively readable--Tiny Imperfections reads so smoothly you can expect to lose yourself and your day without even realizing it.
What I loved most about Tiny Imperfections is its honesty in portraying many things because it leads to many emotional moments, but also some highlights of hilarity for good measure--a mother, trying to navigate the next chapter in her life as her daughter prepares for college, the same mother in her day to day life as the director of admissions at a prestigious school. Tiny Imperfections shines with such a luxuriously witty tone, it's impossible for it not to coax at least one smile from its readers.
Ultimately, I had a lot of fun with this book and found myself snorting in laughter from time to time. But, Tiny Imperfections' real standout lay in the character's and their development. There is a lot to be charmed about when it comes to Tiny Imperfections and it makes for the perfect spring-summer read.
As always, a copy of this book was provided by the author or publisher in exchange for my honest review. This does not effect my opinion in any way.
After nearly two weeks of having mediocre reads that are aiming straight for the DNF pile, Tiny Imperfections single-handedly saved the slump I was in! Alli Frank and Asha Youmans create a perfectly dynamic duo and are definitely a team-up of writers you should be looking into--Tiny Imperfections serves as a perfectly engaging, humorous debut.
And if this book isn't already on your TBR, pile it on.
Like... now.
Tiny Imperfections is a well-balanced story of love, new chapters of life and moving forward. Readers can expect a great deal of heart, soul, emotions to the highest degree, and several laugh-out-loud moments sprinkled within this novel. Each of these traits tie into the center of the novel and make it all the more compulsively readable--Tiny Imperfections reads so smoothly you can expect to lose yourself and your day without even realizing it.
What I loved most about Tiny Imperfections is its honesty in portraying many things because it leads to many emotional moments, but also some highlights of hilarity for good measure--a mother, trying to navigate the next chapter in her life as her daughter prepares for college, the same mother in her day to day life as the director of admissions at a prestigious school. Tiny Imperfections shines with such a luxuriously witty tone, it's impossible for it not to coax at least one smile from its readers.
Ultimately, I had a lot of fun with this book and found myself snorting in laughter from time to time. But, Tiny Imperfections' real standout lay in the character's and their development. There is a lot to be charmed about when it comes to Tiny Imperfections and it makes for the perfect spring-summer read.
July 24, 2020
*** Note: I received e-copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to PRHGlobal for free copy. ***
Tiny Imperfection was entertaining fiction that revolved around Josie’s life and school admission season. It was about admissions at private school, drama, love, friendship, and at its heart of all it was about Bordelon family.
Romance wasn’t big part of the book. We aren’t even sure if there is possibility of romance until climax. Best part of the book was application and emails from parents and Josie’s sarcastic replies that she never sent. It was hilarious to read.
Climax was great. I was curious to know what will happen after whole drama with Nan and how Etta’s interview will go. I couldn’t place Aunt Viv’s weird behaviour and when the reason was revealed it was surprising. I liked their conversations afterwards and what Aunt Viv had to say about whole thing and it answered everything. I loved end and the way things turned out for Bordelon women at the end. A bit predictable but I’m not cutting star for that as I enjoyed it.
Overall, Tiny Imperfections was laugh out loud, feel good, and diverse women’s fiction with great characters and many hilarious scenes. I recommend this to fan of this genre.
Read full review on my book blog by following this link - https://booksteacupnreviews.com/2020/...
Tiny Imperfection was entertaining fiction that revolved around Josie’s life and school admission season. It was about admissions at private school, drama, love, friendship, and at its heart of all it was about Bordelon family.
Romance wasn’t big part of the book. We aren’t even sure if there is possibility of romance until climax. Best part of the book was application and emails from parents and Josie’s sarcastic replies that she never sent. It was hilarious to read.
Climax was great. I was curious to know what will happen after whole drama with Nan and how Etta’s interview will go. I couldn’t place Aunt Viv’s weird behaviour and when the reason was revealed it was surprising. I liked their conversations afterwards and what Aunt Viv had to say about whole thing and it answered everything. I loved end and the way things turned out for Bordelon women at the end. A bit predictable but I’m not cutting star for that as I enjoyed it.
Overall, Tiny Imperfections was laugh out loud, feel good, and diverse women’s fiction with great characters and many hilarious scenes. I recommend this to fan of this genre.
Read full review on my book blog by following this link - https://booksteacupnreviews.com/2020/...
April 27, 2020
Thanks to the publisher, via Edelweiss, for an advance e-galley for honest review.
If you've liked books like Small Admissions or Class Mom, this is the next great book you'll need. Set in the world of San Francisco's elite private schools, main character Josie is also dealing with her own daughter's college application process (which is fraught, since her daughter has her heart set on Julliard, and after her own experience withdrawing from college to pursue modeling, Josie has her mind set on her daughter attending a more traditional program). It's funny, it's pointedly smart, and it's very sweet at times. This was an enjoyable read through and through.
If you've liked books like Small Admissions or Class Mom, this is the next great book you'll need. Set in the world of San Francisco's elite private schools, main character Josie is also dealing with her own daughter's college application process (which is fraught, since her daughter has her heart set on Julliard, and after her own experience withdrawing from college to pursue modeling, Josie has her mind set on her daughter attending a more traditional program). It's funny, it's pointedly smart, and it's very sweet at times. This was an enjoyable read through and through.
July 15, 2020
Light, fun send-up of private school parents in San Francisco vying for kindergarten admissions. The authors skewer lawnmower parents, tech bros, and white privilege. Accurate! Giving it an extra star for the debut authors who are teachers writing from experience. They deserve it!
May 12, 2020
As a Black woman working in a prestigious independent school, I found a lot of this book to be relatable and spot-on in terms of the cultural quirks, parent behavior etc. It was a fun read.
October 27, 2020
This book is cringe-worthy, for so many reasons. I ended up skimming much of it.
February 11, 2020
Josie is now an admissions office at a private school. She skipped college to go into modeling, thinking she would make more money that way, but it was not to be and, as she aged, she could no longer compete with the young ones.
She sees some things in common with her mother. She was dropped off at Aunt Viv’s when she was four. She left her child with Aunt Viv’s while she chased her career goals. But Etta is growing up now and she just wants the best for her. There’s a problem, though. Etta is smart and she wants her to go to a well accredited college and get a good job. All Etta wants to do is dance. She wants to go to Juilliard. Josie is not happy with that but Aunt Viv is on Etta’s side.
In the meantime. Two gay dads come in to meet her during admission. She calls one of them the golden boy and she wishes he wasn’t gay. When her aunt has a heart attack, it turns out he’s her doctor.
Everything in life is just a tad off but the author does an excellent job tying it together by the end of the book. Between the school and Etta’s fight for the music school, Josie is busy all through the story. It’s easy to relate to her problems. Most moms worry about their children.
This was a pleasant read and the ending was very good, too. The author draws you in and really makes you care about her characters.
She sees some things in common with her mother. She was dropped off at Aunt Viv’s when she was four. She left her child with Aunt Viv’s while she chased her career goals. But Etta is growing up now and she just wants the best for her. There’s a problem, though. Etta is smart and she wants her to go to a well accredited college and get a good job. All Etta wants to do is dance. She wants to go to Juilliard. Josie is not happy with that but Aunt Viv is on Etta’s side.
In the meantime. Two gay dads come in to meet her during admission. She calls one of them the golden boy and she wishes he wasn’t gay. When her aunt has a heart attack, it turns out he’s her doctor.
Everything in life is just a tad off but the author does an excellent job tying it together by the end of the book. Between the school and Etta’s fight for the music school, Josie is busy all through the story. It’s easy to relate to her problems. Most moms worry about their children.
This was a pleasant read and the ending was very good, too. The author draws you in and really makes you care about her characters.
May 6, 2021
I had above average hopes for this book and was curious because it had two authors, a Black woman and a White woman. Unfortunately the plot was basic and overly predictable. The thing that bothered me most though was how the book tried so hard to authentically represent a Black woman’s experience. The random slang thrown in was so bad that it was almost culturally offensive and not representative of how anyone talks in 2021. Then there were the parenthetical explanations of Black culture that made my eyes roll. Explaining how being ashy is a sign of bad hygiene in the Black community, really?! If the reader doesn’t understand what it means to be ashy then let the reader be lost or do some digging on their own. This was just one of the many terrible examples in the book. It felt as if the goal was to provide voyeurism into pseudo Blackness. Maybe this book wasn’t written for me as a reader, even though I hoped it would be as a Black woman educator looking for some laughs and a cute romantic story.
October 30, 2020
I think I expected more of this book. But the main character was
June 22, 2020
It was a cute story but there was a lot of commentary within the book that I found a bit off putting. Just jokes and things you’d see people say in the 90s, before we all started to realize the problem with some of them. Idk. I started and stopped the book and almost didn’t pick it back up because of off putting I found some of the comments. Nothing egregious just little things here and there that rubbed me the wrong way. Overall the story was cute, though predictable.
September 14, 2020
2.5 Stars!
July 31, 2021
This was a cute story! Pretty predictable, but very enjoyable.
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