What do you think?
Rate this book
I'm Not Here to Make Friends
Terrace House meets Loveboat, Taipei in this fun, frothy, incisive YA debut, following two teens and their unforgettable summer on a reality show.
When Sabine Zhang is picked for Hotel California, a teen reality show with an all-Asian cast, she jumps at the opportunity. As one of few Asians at her high school in the Midwest, she’s always felt as if she was playing a side character in someone else’s story. But on this show, she’ll finally have a chance to step into the spotlight.
All Yoona Bae wants is to get away. The girls at church think she’s mean, her mom thinks she’s a troublemaker, and she’s tired of fighting against her unearned bad reputation. So when she’s invited to appear on Hotel California, Yoona sees it as an opportunity to chill out, make some friends, maybe even get a tan.
But life on the show isn’t all sunshine and self-actualization. The producers want drama at all costs, even if it means pitting Sabine and Yoona against each other. With the season finale looming, can the girls figure out a peaceful way forward, before they lose control of their own narratives?
When Sabine Zhang is picked for Hotel California, a teen reality show with an all-Asian cast, she jumps at the opportunity. As one of few Asians at her high school in the Midwest, she’s always felt as if she was playing a side character in someone else’s story. But on this show, she’ll finally have a chance to step into the spotlight.
All Yoona Bae wants is to get away. The girls at church think she’s mean, her mom thinks she’s a troublemaker, and she’s tired of fighting against her unearned bad reputation. So when she’s invited to appear on Hotel California, Yoona sees it as an opportunity to chill out, make some friends, maybe even get a tan.
But life on the show isn’t all sunshine and self-actualization. The producers want drama at all costs, even if it means pitting Sabine and Yoona against each other. With the season finale looming, can the girls figure out a peaceful way forward, before they lose control of their own narratives?
352 pages, Hardcover
First published July 18, 2023
13 people are currently reading
4280 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Yang
2 books22 followersAndrew Yang is a writer and reality TV enthusiast living in New York City. He studied computer science at the University of Chicago and has a day job as a coder. Andrew is a devoted fan of the writer Elena Ferrante, whose Neapolitan Novels are his favorite book series. He enjoys studying languages, rooting for his favorite sports teams, and trying new recipes with his air fryer. He is the author of I'm Not Here to Make Friends and The Ping-Pong Queen of Chinatown.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
July 10, 2023
It's a teenagers-stuck-in-a-house-together reality TV show with a twist: the cast is all Asian American. And another twist: this has always been a low-key show that is just about normal teens' lives, with none of the drama and puppet strings of other reality shows.
But yet another twist is in store: this year, the show has been bought out...and the new producers want Drama.
Parts of this I really love—almost the entire cast is Asian, which is fantastic and still unusual in YA. I love that the ultimate emphasis is on friendship rather than romance (I spend a lot of time bemoaning the YA focus on romance—I want so many more friendship stories). It's light and fluffy and summery. It also seems to be operating in an interesting gap of "almost"—could be one thing, could be another thing. (More on that in a moment.)
Another part of me wants to take Sabine by the shoulders and shake some sense into her. She's of a generation that has grown up with reality TV—it should be basically her first language. And yet she's still surprised to find that the producers will prioritize ratings over feelings, and will slice and dice footage however they see fit, and will resort to whatever underhanded ruin-your-life threats they have on hand. I think this part of things will work for a lot of readers, but it left me cringing (mostly on Sabine's behalf) for much of the book, and secondhand embarrassment isn't really something I enjoy, even about a fictional character.
I'd have liked to get to know the other characters a bit better—as it is, we have Sabine and Yoona, who spend the book locked in a will-they-won't-they place between friendship and enmity, and we learn a fair bit about them. Then there's Danny (bro), Grant (exists), Chris (would-be actor, but I guess he's locked in a closet, making out with Mari, for most of the book), and Mari (artsy, but presumably locked in a closet to make out with Chris, except when she escapes to play peacemaker and then goes back to the closet). Sabine acknowledges at the end that she didn't actually get to know most of the other players well, but...well, I just wish we'd gotten a bit more of them. More nuance, more flaws, some intersectionality.
On the "almost" gap: I read another review noting that this felt middle grade, and in retrospect I can see that too—it would take some changes (unsupervised 13-year-olds are a different challenge than unsupervised 17-year-olds, or however old they are here), but as it is it's a very clean and uncomplicated story: no drinking, no kissing, no swearing, no innuendo, etc. etc. But there's also an almost-LGBTQ story: it would take even fewer changes to turn this from a platonic friendship story to a f/f romance, which at times I genuinely thought was the direction the book was going in. (Or it could have been both MG and queer!) As it happens, that's not the case, but it does make me quite curious about the choices made during writing and revising and editing.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
But yet another twist is in store: this year, the show has been bought out...and the new producers want Drama.
Parts of this I really love—almost the entire cast is Asian, which is fantastic and still unusual in YA. I love that the ultimate emphasis is on friendship rather than romance (I spend a lot of time bemoaning the YA focus on romance—I want so many more friendship stories). It's light and fluffy and summery. It also seems to be operating in an interesting gap of "almost"—could be one thing, could be another thing. (More on that in a moment.)
Another part of me wants to take Sabine by the shoulders and shake some sense into her. She's of a generation that has grown up with reality TV—it should be basically her first language. And yet she's still surprised to find that the producers will prioritize ratings over feelings, and will slice and dice footage however they see fit, and will resort to whatever underhanded ruin-your-life threats they have on hand. I think this part of things will work for a lot of readers, but it left me cringing (mostly on Sabine's behalf) for much of the book, and secondhand embarrassment isn't really something I enjoy, even about a fictional character.
I'd have liked to get to know the other characters a bit better—as it is, we have Sabine and Yoona, who spend the book locked in a will-they-won't-they place between friendship and enmity, and we learn a fair bit about them. Then there's Danny (bro), Grant (exists), Chris (would-be actor, but I guess he's locked in a closet, making out with Mari, for most of the book), and Mari (artsy, but presumably locked in a closet to make out with Chris, except when she escapes to play peacemaker and then goes back to the closet). Sabine acknowledges at the end that she didn't actually get to know most of the other players well, but...well, I just wish we'd gotten a bit more of them. More nuance, more flaws, some intersectionality.
On the "almost" gap: I read another review noting that this felt middle grade, and in retrospect I can see that too—it would take some changes (unsupervised 13-year-olds are a different challenge than unsupervised 17-year-olds, or however old they are here), but as it is it's a very clean and uncomplicated story: no drinking, no kissing, no swearing, no innuendo, etc. etc. But there's also an almost-LGBTQ story: it would take even fewer changes to turn this from a platonic friendship story to a f/f romance, which at times I genuinely thought was the direction the book was going in. (Or it could have been both MG and queer!) As it happens, that's not the case, but it does make me quite curious about the choices made during writing and revising and editing.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
September 1, 2023
Realistically, this is a 4-star-read, but I can’t resist the urge to raise this book’s rating.
It was such a fun, fast-paced, enjoyable adventure.
Reality show settings is my weak spot, and when executed properly, I devour it in one sitting (which was pretty much what happened with this book).
I liked main characters and how imperfect they were; loved their interactions and being inside their heads.
I was low-key hoping for the story to go in a different direction, giving us some bi representation, but it was great anyway!
It was such a fun, fast-paced, enjoyable adventure.
Reality show settings is my weak spot, and when executed properly, I devour it in one sitting (which was pretty much what happened with this book).
I liked main characters and how imperfect they were; loved their interactions and being inside their heads.
I was low-key hoping for the story to go in a different direction, giving us some bi representation, but it was great anyway!
August 11, 2023
I'M NOT HERE TO MAKE FRIENDS
Andrew Yang
La La La... La La La.. this book just sort of rolls on without much excitement or actually anything else. It just rolls on, not terrible and not great, just somewhere in the middle. It is about a young Asian girl who gets a spot on a reality TV show. She ends up being edited into something that she doesn't like but she realizes so much more. It is about friendship and growing up.
3 bland stars
Happy Reading!
Andrew Yang
La La La... La La La.. this book just sort of rolls on without much excitement or actually anything else. It just rolls on, not terrible and not great, just somewhere in the middle. It is about a young Asian girl who gets a spot on a reality TV show. She ends up being edited into something that she doesn't like but she realizes so much more. It is about friendship and growing up.
3 bland stars
Happy Reading!
August 3, 2023
- unique concept
- centers friendship- the novel is 90% about a F/F friendship, which is rare for YA
- nuanced discussion of different kinds of Asian American experiences
I wish I had this kind of novel when I was in high school! I’m surprised others are saying it reads younger because of the lack of alcohol/drugs/sex — that feels more representative of my actual high school experience lol, and the writing and themes felt sophisticated to me.
- centers friendship- the novel is 90% about a F/F friendship, which is rare for YA
- nuanced discussion of different kinds of Asian American experiences
I wish I had this kind of novel when I was in high school! I’m surprised others are saying it reads younger because of the lack of alcohol/drugs/sex — that feels more representative of my actual high school experience lol, and the writing and themes felt sophisticated to me.
June 9, 2023
3 Stars
I'm not sure if I've read a more bland book... ever. There was something kind of relaxing about this book, of course. No high stakes, no melodrama, no anxiety. It has kind of a lazy-summer-day vibe to it. But that being said, this book is so utterly tensionless that... Well, yeah. Not sure I'd recommend it, but I can still imagine some people would like it. I just like a bit more plot than I got. A book centered on a reality show should be kind of high-drama, right? Right.
My full review will be available July 21, 2023 at Gateway Reviews.
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
I'm not sure if I've read a more bland book... ever. There was something kind of relaxing about this book, of course. No high stakes, no melodrama, no anxiety. It has kind of a lazy-summer-day vibe to it. But that being said, this book is so utterly tensionless that... Well, yeah. Not sure I'd recommend it, but I can still imagine some people would like it. I just like a bit more plot than I got. A book centered on a reality show should be kind of high-drama, right? Right.
My full review will be available July 21, 2023 at Gateway Reviews.
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
September 15, 2023
Female friendship, yay!
July 29, 2023
I received a galley of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book has a content warning for racism.
I really wanted to like this book, but it just didn't work for me. Honestly, for the most part I did enjoy my time. I really like the reality tv show setting of this book. I also really liked seeing how the producers manipulate the contestants for their desired end result. I think the kind of commentary that came out of that was interesting. The dynamic between our cast was also quite fun, I just wish we went a bit more in depth about the characters that weren't our two main perspectives, but it wasn't anything too bothersome to my enjoyment of this book. I did think Yoona and Sabine were quite unlikeable. Yoona just had a massive victim complex, and I hated how she just couldn't recognise that intent does not equal results. Like if your hurt someone, you need to apoligise, even if you didn't mean to hurt them. Instead she just kept doubling down, and acting like she's the victim and it really got on my nerves. Sabine was also just stupid, and very high and mighty and I rolled my eyes several times at her inner monologue. However, I was hopeful because it did seem like this book was going to make these characters realise their flaws and grow from them. Sadly enough, the ending just let me down on all fronts. Remember how I said that I liked the discussions around the manipulation on reality tv shows? Yeah, those producers just become cartoonishly evil antagonists, and it was laughably unbelievable. It completely undermines the earlier discussions around them. The ending also makes it so that any growth our two main characters went through were completely undone. Like they just reverse to the people they have always been, and it just made me wonder what the fuck the point of this book was. So yeah, I really wanted to like this, and the fact that there was potential here probably is making me even more dissapointed.
This book has a content warning for racism.
I really wanted to like this book, but it just didn't work for me. Honestly, for the most part I did enjoy my time. I really like the reality tv show setting of this book. I also really liked seeing how the producers manipulate the contestants for their desired end result. I think the kind of commentary that came out of that was interesting. The dynamic between our cast was also quite fun, I just wish we went a bit more in depth about the characters that weren't our two main perspectives, but it wasn't anything too bothersome to my enjoyment of this book. I did think Yoona and Sabine were quite unlikeable. Yoona just had a massive victim complex, and I hated how she just couldn't recognise that intent does not equal results. Like if your hurt someone, you need to apoligise, even if you didn't mean to hurt them. Instead she just kept doubling down, and acting like she's the victim and it really got on my nerves. Sabine was also just stupid, and very high and mighty and I rolled my eyes several times at her inner monologue. However, I was hopeful because it did seem like this book was going to make these characters realise their flaws and grow from them. Sadly enough, the ending just let me down on all fronts. Remember how I said that I liked the discussions around the manipulation on reality tv shows? Yeah, those producers just become cartoonishly evil antagonists, and it was laughably unbelievable. It completely undermines the earlier discussions around them. The ending also makes it so that any growth our two main characters went through were completely undone. Like they just reverse to the people they have always been, and it just made me wonder what the fuck the point of this book was. So yeah, I really wanted to like this, and the fact that there was potential here probably is making me even more dissapointed.
August 15, 2023
ohhhh my gosh. i am seriously questioning how an author was able to write such a stale, boring, and bland book with such cardboard characters and so little chemistry. it was seriously so bland that the story beats that i thought were visible from a mile away were actually ignored for EVEN MORE BORING plot points. like ???? this could have been partially saved by yoona and sabine ignoring the love interests and just getting together but like no??? also as a member of the asian community like...this just did not feel like it did a good job of attacking asian stereotypes and representing different cultures well. overall, i was not a fan.
February 7, 2024
Honestly a three star book, but I appreciate a good friendship story so I gave it a four. To be fair, the book kind of drags on, in that "not horrible, but not wonderful" way. It's a cute growing up story and the importance of being yourself and friendship in a fun setting, but I would have LOVED to explore more of the characters and their complex relationships. The other characters in the reality show were not heavily focused on when their characters could have been cultivated and explored. Plus the main characters Sabine and Yoona seem surprised about reality show, when in this story it is a known fact that producers twist the plot and manipulate footage for views. It felt kind of middle-grade, but I have a weakness for friendship stories. I probably wouldn't recommend, or reread unless I was in the mood for a light book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2025
Meh, it was okay. 2.5 stars, really.
January 13, 2024
This story had so much potential and it’s not bad but a genre shift to NA from YA would change lives. Especially the ending, if it was just slightly more mature.
January 2, 2024
This was overall pleasantly enjoyable but for me, since I work in reality television, it was painfully obvious throughout that the author didn't really understand how filming reality tv works! Some of the plot points were just absolutely ridiculous. No reality tv show allows its cast to GO HOME halfway through filming "for a week break" and then return after? They'd absolutely be sequestered in a hotel for that entire week if production actually needed a week break. But also they wouldn't TAKE a week break because $$$!!!
This specific gripe might seem silly but there were many more instances like this that really just added up and bugged me! But probably most readers can overlook it.
I thought for 90% of this book we were getting an WLW storyline and it turns out... not so much. I think it would have been a stronger story if it had been! Ending was a bit anticlimactic.
This specific gripe might seem silly but there were many more instances like this that really just added up and bugged me! But probably most readers can overlook it.
I thought for 90% of this book we were getting an WLW storyline and it turns out... not so much. I think it would have been a stronger story if it had been! Ending was a bit anticlimactic.
September 3, 2023
Clever, nuanced themes about empathy and friendship without being preachy.
2023
October 21, 2025ANHPI TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Quill Tree Books
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Quill Tree Books
December 18, 2024
The book wasn't that bad it just really could've been better. Sabine was actually so annoying. It's actually like the start of her villain arc before she finds out that she's wrong. The character development was weird imo. I think I liked Yoona, I related to her more compared to Sabine, even though Sabine is from the Midwest and Yoona is from NYC. I hate how the author just made Mari unimportant. The author just hooked up Mari with Chris and kept them to the side until they needed to help the main characters.
Here's a little summary, Sabine is an invisible Asian girl from the Midwest who sent an audition video to her favorite TV show where the cast gets to know each other and stuff like that. She thinks that if she can get into this show then she won't be invisible anymore. Yoona is a Korean girl from New York who is always seen as the natural bad girl, an outspoken troublemaker. So of course their first impressions were not the best, and of course, they are edited to be natural enemies. Will the two end the season with a friendship or mutual hate?
The boys are just there to make the plot go forward. I think it could've been a really good plot if the scale was bigger. I would've really liked to see the rest of their perspectives, but if they couldn't have done that they should have had more characters. I felt sad that Mari was left out because she seemed cool. There wasn't any major romance so that was kind of boring. I did like how they went off the script together, even if it was mildly cliche.
Sabine and Yoona, for real, had a victim complex though. They both thought the other had it for each other. Like hello? it is not that deep. Everything could've been solved if they had communicated, so that type of conflict is very frustrating.
But, don't even get me started on Carrie Waters. How does a grown woman pretend to be a teenager's friend? That's messed up. She was honestly bipolar or something. Carrie acted like the world went around her show.
Plus the amount of cliches in the book, like ABGs, the pad thai thing, the assumption that Asians are all good at using chopsticks. Sabine didn't even know what kimbap was, but I can't blame her fully because I don't think she's been exposed to it.
Really, it wasn't that bad it just really could've been developed more. The book had a lot of good points, like inclusivity and a nice setting. 3 stars
Here's a little summary, Sabine is an invisible Asian girl from the Midwest who sent an audition video to her favorite TV show where the cast gets to know each other and stuff like that. She thinks that if she can get into this show then she won't be invisible anymore. Yoona is a Korean girl from New York who is always seen as the natural bad girl, an outspoken troublemaker. So of course their first impressions were not the best, and of course, they are edited to be natural enemies. Will the two end the season with a friendship or mutual hate?
The boys are just there to make the plot go forward. I think it could've been a really good plot if the scale was bigger. I would've really liked to see the rest of their perspectives, but if they couldn't have done that they should have had more characters. I felt sad that Mari was left out because she seemed cool. There wasn't any major romance so that was kind of boring. I did like how they went off the script together, even if it was mildly cliche.
Sabine and Yoona, for real, had a victim complex though. They both thought the other had it for each other. Like hello? it is not that deep. Everything could've been solved if they had communicated, so that type of conflict is very frustrating.
But, don't even get me started on Carrie Waters. How does a grown woman pretend to be a teenager's friend? That's messed up. She was honestly bipolar or something. Carrie acted like the world went around her show.
Plus the amount of cliches in the book, like ABGs, the pad thai thing, the assumption that Asians are all good at using chopsticks. Sabine didn't even know what kimbap was, but I can't blame her fully because I don't think she's been exposed to it.
Really, it wasn't that bad it just really could've been developed more. The book had a lot of good points, like inclusivity and a nice setting. 3 stars
April 17, 2025
Pro tip: if someone asks you what you're reading, make sure you say "it's a BOOK called I'm Not Here To Make Friends " otherwise they might think you're just being a dick instead of answering their question!
I love the summery cover of this book as well as the setting-- a reality TV house that's gone from a sweet little hangout spot to a hotbed of dating and drama, with a diverse cast? Sign me up!
I wouldn't necessarily say this book failed to meet any expectations it set, but it just ended up being less fun than I was hoping for. Your enjoyment of this book will hinge very much on whether you empathize with Sabine (it wasn't a question for me with Yoona-- I liked her throughout), and I'm not sure I did. I really liked but I felt that was spoon-fed to me about ten different times in almost the same wording, and for me, it didn't make up for the fact that I just... didn't really see any of the situations how she saw them.
The conflict between the leads is created by the reality TV producers, and I understand that's the point, but even so, Sabine's reactions seem very strange to me, and I struggled to be on her side. I also think the producers were SO cartoonishly villainous that I lost a little more of my ability to relate to things going on, plus the rules of reality TV seem very unclear-- they're all allowed to be on their phones, accessing the internet, the whole time? They take a break halfway through filming the season and are allowed to talk about the show out in the "real world?" Sabine truly believes
Also, I found that every character except for Sabine and Yoona was sorely lacking. I couldn't tell you anything about Chris except for he's the one with Mari, and Grant is the one that isn't Chris or Danny. I'm not sure about Mari except she's artsy. It bummed me out that for most of the book, I couldn't even point to which one was supposed to be Danny on the cover!
I love the summery cover of this book as well as the setting-- a reality TV house that's gone from a sweet little hangout spot to a hotbed of dating and drama, with a diverse cast? Sign me up!
I wouldn't necessarily say this book failed to meet any expectations it set, but it just ended up being less fun than I was hoping for. Your enjoyment of this book will hinge very much on whether you empathize with Sabine (it wasn't a question for me with Yoona-- I liked her throughout), and I'm not sure I did. I really liked but I felt that was spoon-fed to me about ten different times in almost the same wording, and for me, it didn't make up for the fact that I just... didn't really see any of the situations how she saw them.
The conflict between the leads is created by the reality TV producers, and I understand that's the point, but even so, Sabine's reactions seem very strange to me, and I struggled to be on her side. I also think the producers were SO cartoonishly villainous that I lost a little more of my ability to relate to things going on, plus the rules of reality TV seem very unclear-- they're all allowed to be on their phones, accessing the internet, the whole time? They take a break halfway through filming the season and are allowed to talk about the show out in the "real world?" Sabine truly believes
Also, I found that every character except for Sabine and Yoona was sorely lacking. I couldn't tell you anything about Chris except for he's the one with Mari, and Grant is the one that isn't Chris or Danny. I'm not sure about Mari except she's artsy. It bummed me out that for most of the book, I couldn't even point to which one was supposed to be Danny on the cover!
August 5, 2023
This book is a fun frothy summer read, perfect to page through in between watching the reality shows it’s inspired by. (Not gonna lie, Too Hot To Handle is an obsession of mine, and I loved that this book featured a parody of “Lana” on their show.) Despite not being quite as melodramatic as the reality shows appear to be, Yang keeps the reader hungrily turning pages to find out what happens next.
I thought the book did a great job of introducing two very different characters, a brash extrovert and reflective introvert, and putting them in opposition without either becoming the villain. (In this, the two dual POVs become integral, because they look really bad in each other’s eyes.) The irony of a reality-TV-based story focusing on a platonic relationship as opposed to romance (real or manufactured) was a breath of fresh air. This book never gets as dark as Hollywood’s own takedown of reality shows (UnREAL, which everyone should watch the first season of) – partly because the characters are teenagers, it’s relatively tame, but no less compelling for that.
If I have one nitpick, it’s the last three chapters, which serve as an epilogue of sorts. (Cue my constant refrain, that epilogues almost never enhance a story.) I kinda wish the story had left well enough alone when the reality show ended, and let us imagine how the characters are thriving post-show.
Nevertheless, the last few chapters don’t take away from how delightful this book is! I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys female friendships and/or reality TV.
I thought the book did a great job of introducing two very different characters, a brash extrovert and reflective introvert, and putting them in opposition without either becoming the villain. (In this, the two dual POVs become integral, because they look really bad in each other’s eyes.) The irony of a reality-TV-based story focusing on a platonic relationship as opposed to romance (real or manufactured) was a breath of fresh air. This book never gets as dark as Hollywood’s own takedown of reality shows (UnREAL, which everyone should watch the first season of) – partly because the characters are teenagers, it’s relatively tame, but no less compelling for that.
If I have one nitpick, it’s the last three chapters, which serve as an epilogue of sorts. (Cue my constant refrain, that epilogues almost never enhance a story.) I kinda wish the story had left well enough alone when the reality show ended, and let us imagine how the characters are thriving post-show.
Nevertheless, the last few chapters don’t take away from how delightful this book is! I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys female friendships and/or reality TV.
Read
August 9, 2023A little background here…I personally have no interest in reality shows. I like competition tv sometimes ( though, definitely not the dramatic eliminations). The reason why I mention that I have no interest in reality shows is because this book is set on a fictional reality show. I knew that. Yet I picked it up anyway because something about the description appealed to me.
So, whose fault is it that I can’t get into this book because I don’t enjoy reality shows? Mine lol
I didn’t realize the characters were so young. They’re between they’re junior and senior years of highschool. I could be wrong but I’m not sure a tv show about real highschool students living together would actually be ok.
There’s so much drama and it’s mostly caused by adults trying to manipulate these underage characters into fighting with each other or falling in love with each other.
Sabine is definitely naive but she’s 17 and this is absolutely not the show she signed up for. Her version of the show sounds like it would make for innocent tv like Saved by the Bell.
I think this book is about Sabine and Yoona finding a way to become friends despite manipulation by outside forces trying to turn them into enemies. And I’m sure there are messages in here. But I just can’t get into it. I’ve got a hundred pages left and I have to move on to greener pastures. I have a million books on my tbr list and I know there’s plenty of people waiting in line for this book at the library. So I’m moving on.
So, whose fault is it that I can’t get into this book because I don’t enjoy reality shows? Mine lol
I didn’t realize the characters were so young. They’re between they’re junior and senior years of highschool. I could be wrong but I’m not sure a tv show about real highschool students living together would actually be ok.
There’s so much drama and it’s mostly caused by adults trying to manipulate these underage characters into fighting with each other or falling in love with each other.
Sabine is definitely naive but she’s 17 and this is absolutely not the show she signed up for. Her version of the show sounds like it would make for innocent tv like Saved by the Bell.
I think this book is about Sabine and Yoona finding a way to become friends despite manipulation by outside forces trying to turn them into enemies. And I’m sure there are messages in here. But I just can’t get into it. I’ve got a hundred pages left and I have to move on to greener pastures. I have a million books on my tbr list and I know there’s plenty of people waiting in line for this book at the library. So I’m moving on.
August 20, 2023
Ok, I admit it; I'm the freak who doesn't really like 'reality TV'. I'll watch Celebrity Bake Off if I see it, because it's funny watching competent actors and comedians panic when faced with a choux pastry, and because I love the way they help each other out; but I don't go looking for it and I don't watch other shows. Largely because of what we see here; you can't trust any of them.
Sabine loves the show because it's calm and chill, but when Definitely Not Netflix pick it up they want drama and intrigue, so they force it into the storylines by picking and choosing their camera angles and reaction shots. Plus they seemed to be actively rooting against the contestants; I noticed that in the (extremely racist) Olympics competition they gave the chopsticks contest to the girl who wasn't much good at chopsticks and the taste test to the girl from the tiny town without many food options. Let's not even mention the blackmail during Mafia!
I liked the writing, it was light and easy to read without glossing over the racism and the things the kids had suffered over the years. Also, the main characters did not end up in a relationship! (Uh, spoiler.) They became close and supportive friends, but not a relationship, which is so rare I feel like I need to point it out.
The characters were great and I'm really looking forward to seeing what Andrew does next - he had such a fantastic touch with this one, whatever he is next bound to be wonderful. I can't wait.
Sabine loves the show because it's calm and chill, but when Definitely Not Netflix pick it up they want drama and intrigue, so they force it into the storylines by picking and choosing their camera angles and reaction shots. Plus they seemed to be actively rooting against the contestants; I noticed that in the (extremely racist) Olympics competition they gave the chopsticks contest to the girl who wasn't much good at chopsticks and the taste test to the girl from the tiny town without many food options. Let's not even mention the blackmail during Mafia!
I liked the writing, it was light and easy to read without glossing over the racism and the things the kids had suffered over the years. Also, the main characters did not end up in a relationship! (Uh, spoiler.) They became close and supportive friends, but not a relationship, which is so rare I feel like I need to point it out.
The characters were great and I'm really looking forward to seeing what Andrew does next - he had such a fantastic touch with this one, whatever he is next bound to be wonderful. I can't wait.
November 4, 2023
3.5⭐️ Sabine just made it on her favorite TV show, Hotel California. It’s only played on the Korean TV channel, and it seems to be real life for the Asian teenagers on it, not some scripted reality show. When Sabine arrives, she is nervous, but excited to live in this incredible house with 5 other high schoolers. As everyone arrives, Sabine feels like she doesn’t belong among the good looking people that show up. Three guys and three girls must live together for 5 weeks, and so far the show has been low on drama, high on relationships and fun. That is all about to change because the show has been picked up by a major streaming service. As the introduce challenges, dates, and other things to pit the housemates against one another, Sabine really starts to wonder how she was chosen. Of course, drama ensues, relationships are challenged, and all the housemates have to decide how far they’re willing to go to get some recognition. This was a quick read. I enjoyed it, although some things were wrapped up too quickly for me. It is a great YA book about deciding who you are, who you want to be, and how far you’re willing to go to get there.
Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
September 3, 2023
I'm Not Here to Make Friends by Andrew Yang is a story about a group of teenagers who are chosen to be in a reality tv show going along the flow of budding romances and friendships that goes beyond all the dramas. The setting of this story is unique and quite unpredictable that any of the conclusions I make throughout reading the book, the outcomes turn out to be completely different.
A huge chunk of this book is just drama, teenage angst and having their inner thoughts win. The drama sometimes feel unnecessary and too overwhelming but once I understand the underlying meaning behind it, it all makes sense. At the end of the day, this is reality tv and they overtly exaggerate what goes best and the most controversial when it airs on scene.
I'm not a fan of the romance at all and I'm so glad it ended the way it did. I am rooting more for the friendship between Sabine and Yoona. I really am so glad it ended just how I imagined it to be although the ending is quite vague.
All in all, this was a pretty interesting read and I don't think I would have picked it up myself. So, I still recommend you to read this book as it does have a few qualities that are worth to be ventured.
A huge chunk of this book is just drama, teenage angst and having their inner thoughts win. The drama sometimes feel unnecessary and too overwhelming but once I understand the underlying meaning behind it, it all makes sense. At the end of the day, this is reality tv and they overtly exaggerate what goes best and the most controversial when it airs on scene.
I'm not a fan of the romance at all and I'm so glad it ended the way it did. I am rooting more for the friendship between Sabine and Yoona. I really am so glad it ended just how I imagined it to be although the ending is quite vague.
All in all, this was a pretty interesting read and I don't think I would have picked it up myself. So, I still recommend you to read this book as it does have a few qualities that are worth to be ventured.
October 17, 2023
Sabine has grown up as one of the few Asians in her small mid-western town. She loves the reality show "Hotel California" which always features an all Asian cast just hanging out. Yoona lives in NYC with her hyper-judgmental mom. She applies to be a cast member on Hotel California just to get away from home for a while. Sabine and Yoona are instantly at odds with each other and the production manager plays it up even more.
While there is a lot of great Asian representation, especially contrasting some of the stereotypes and the difficulties that Asian teens from the midwest vs those on the West coast struggle with, there are also many pages of angst and introspection that could have used tighter editing. This was a fun debut novel and I look forward to what Yang comes up with next.
Grades 8 and up - mostly for age of characters (16+). No drinking, no sex or sexual inferences, a few mentions of kissing, no violence so very clean and could go younger but they just might not find it as interesting.
While there is a lot of great Asian representation, especially contrasting some of the stereotypes and the difficulties that Asian teens from the midwest vs those on the West coast struggle with, there are also many pages of angst and introspection that could have used tighter editing. This was a fun debut novel and I look forward to what Yang comes up with next.
Grades 8 and up - mostly for age of characters (16+). No drinking, no sex or sexual inferences, a few mentions of kissing, no violence so very clean and could go younger but they just might not find it as interesting.
July 2, 2023
Sabine loves Hotel California - a low-key reality show on an obscure network featuring an all-Asian cast of teens living together and figuring out how to get along. So she’s thrilled to be picked as the only midwesterner for the season filming between her junior and senior year and is determined to break out of her passive, good girl persona. Co-narrator Yoona, a New Yorker, is stunningly beautiful, and quick to pick out the flaws of others. She wonders if she’s really kind of a mean girl. Maybe Hotel California will be here chance to show a different side of herself. Carrie, the producer, is under pressure since a bigger network has acquired the show and is pushing for more competition and interpersonal drama. What would it mean for the contestants to be true to themselves? A fun look at reality TV. EARC from Edelweiss.
August 9, 2023
It's a cute story about coming-to-age, and going through the transition from junior year to senior year. Take one summer to go do a reality TV show and suddenly you're a star.
I do get the message that you control your storyline and should do what you want to do, instead of sitting on the sidelines, wishing something different.
The only issue I had was why was there a random one-week holiday in the middle of filming. I do understand that the leaked episodes played a role, but felt like either the week could have dived more into the "I've changed after being in LA for two weeks, and it shows" deal with both Sabine and Yoona.
Overall, it's cute, and kind of hoped for more screentime with Grant and Danny. Considering how the storyline mostly focused on Sabine (and second-lead Yoona), I get it.
I do get the message that you control your storyline and should do what you want to do, instead of sitting on the sidelines, wishing something different.
The only issue I had was why was there a random one-week holiday in the middle of filming. I do understand that the leaked episodes played a role, but felt like either the week could have dived more into the "I've changed after being in LA for two weeks, and it shows" deal with both Sabine and Yoona.
Overall, it's cute, and kind of hoped for more screentime with Grant and Danny. Considering how the storyline mostly focused on Sabine (and second-lead Yoona), I get it.
August 28, 2023
My biggest complaint of this book actually doesn't have to do with this book. It's to do with publishers calling everything a romance if there is even a little bit of romance in it, because I keep getting burned. I went into this book expecting a YA rom-com, because the publisher said it was? It isn't.
Otherwise, I felt like the plotting was interesting if not quite believable and I liked seeing the two main characters grow -- all other characters seemed like after thoughts. At my library at least, we have teen readers looking for novels that aren't all about romance and that don't have lots of sex, drugs, alcohol, and language so I think this would be a good recommendation for them. I see a lot of people saying it reads MG, which I disagree with. But a think a lot of MG readers who are wanting to start reading YA or books about teenagers could start here.
Otherwise, I felt like the plotting was interesting if not quite believable and I liked seeing the two main characters grow -- all other characters seemed like after thoughts. At my library at least, we have teen readers looking for novels that aren't all about romance and that don't have lots of sex, drugs, alcohol, and language so I think this would be a good recommendation for them. I see a lot of people saying it reads MG, which I disagree with. But a think a lot of MG readers who are wanting to start reading YA or books about teenagers could start here.
January 27, 2024
Two girls are selected to go an a reality TV show with an all-Asian cast that has recently been purchased by a new streaming network, but no one knows they plan to change the format of the show until it is already in progress. We get to hear from both characters perspective and how they navigate the various challenges. While dating and romance are included in the show aspects, the true focus of the story is actually about developing friendships and building trust in tricky situations. Overall a recommended read for fans of reality tv and light drama, but with some room for over looking how 'realistic' some of it might be. The two main characters were fairly dynamic, we don't meet the other housemates incredibly in depth.
June 6, 2023
A sweet debut that reads a little young for YA other than the fact that all the characters are rising high school seniors. In other words, it would be great to put in the hands of a younger reader who reads at an advanced level or someone who likes books with minimal swearing or references to sex. I liked that the characters represent a range of Asian-Americans from around the country and highlight both their common experiences with their cultures and races as well as how unique each of them are. The setting is a reality television show, and that makes for a fun way to explore navigating differences and reminding us that television is never reality.
August 21, 2023
I have no insight into what happens behind the scenes at a reality TV show, but I suspect much of the treachery and machinations that happen in this story are pretty accurate. The longer I read, the more I felt like a silent player, standing by the wall, watching first hand what was going on. You get to see several of the characters at their worst, their rawest, and at their most insecure. The flashing back to their home lives certainly helps readers understand what motivated them, particularly the two main characters Sabine and Yoona. While all six characters are of Asian descent, each seems to handle that differently. It's an overall extremely satisfying book.
April 18, 2025
This was honestly just a fun and cute book to read. The stakes really weren't that high, and sometimes it felt like the plot was just unfolding instead of building to anything, but I really didn't mind. It was nice to escape to the world of a low-stakes reality TV show, and I thought it was really wonderful reading a YA book with an entirely Asian cast. This is probably not the book to read if you want to be deeply moved, but I could totally imagine this being a nice beach read that you can pick up and put down whenever you'd like. I can also imagine teenagers liking this book much more than an adult probably would.
September 5, 2023
3.5 stars, but I rounded up. I found this less satisfying than I hoped - less dramatic than the reality-show premise seemed to suggest it would be, and also I thought the ending seemed anticlimactic and unresolved. Ah well.
(Also, both teen protagonists seemed weirdly uninterested in the fact that they were in a house full of hot teens with no adults around. Like, do they not have hormones? Are they both ace? They recognize that everyone is wildly attractive, but then . . . that's kind of it?)
(Also, both teen protagonists seemed weirdly uninterested in the fact that they were in a house full of hot teens with no adults around. Like, do they not have hormones? Are they both ace? They recognize that everyone is wildly attractive, but then . . . that's kind of it?)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews