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The Queens of New York
Best friends Jia Lee, Ariel Kim, and Everett Hoang are inseparable. But this summer, they won’t be together.
Everett, aspiring Broadway star, hopes to nab the lead role in an Ohio theater production, but soon realizes that talent and drive can only get her so far. Brainy Ariel is flying to San Francisco for a prestigious STEM scholarship, even though her heart is in South Korea, where her sister died last year. And stable, solid Jia will be home in Flushing, juggling her parents’ Chinatown restaurant, a cute new neighbor, and dreams for an uncertain future.
As the girls navigate heartbreaking surprises and shocking self-discoveries, they find that even though they’re physically apart, they are still mighty together.
Everett, aspiring Broadway star, hopes to nab the lead role in an Ohio theater production, but soon realizes that talent and drive can only get her so far. Brainy Ariel is flying to San Francisco for a prestigious STEM scholarship, even though her heart is in South Korea, where her sister died last year. And stable, solid Jia will be home in Flushing, juggling her parents’ Chinatown restaurant, a cute new neighbor, and dreams for an uncertain future.
As the girls navigate heartbreaking surprises and shocking self-discoveries, they find that even though they’re physically apart, they are still mighty together.
Unknown Binding
First published June 6, 2023
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10477 people want to read
About the author
E.L. Shen
3 books61 followersE. L. Shen is a writer and editor. Her debut middle grade novel, The Comeback (Macmillan) is a Junior Library Guild Selection, received two starred reviews, and was praised for its “fast-paced prose, big emotions, and authentic dialogue” in The New York Times. Her young adult debut, The Queens of New York (HarperCollins) is an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults, a New York Public Library Best Book of the Year, a Junior Library Guild Selection, and a Common Sense Media Selection. Her most recent novel, Maybe It’s a Sign (Macmillan), published on January 23, 2024 and is a Junior Library Guild Selection and a Bank Street Best Book of the Year. Her next novel. Foreigners, is set to publish from HarperCollins in Fall 2026.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 263 reviews
September 12, 2023
I really liked this novel about three Asian American teenagers navigating relationships, career aspirations, and life in general. E.L. Shen includes a nice diversity of plot lines: Jia Lee, who feels pressured to stay at home and support her family’s business, Ariel Kim, an academic superstar grieving the death of her sister, and Everett Hoang, an aspiring actress who faces racist challenges that make her question herself. I appreciated that Shen didn’t stereotype or lazily characterize these characters or their parents/families – each of the main characters and the main side characters felt multidimensional. I also enjoyed that while the book did address anti-Asian racism, it didn’t center whiteness or make any of the characters aspire to be white or be in relationships with white people. Finally, Shen did a great job of emphasizing the characters’ friendship with one another and how they supported one another through positive and negative experiences.
I give this book four stars instead of five because I felt like it was missing that little extra emotional punch to make me feel super invested. Still, I’d consider recommending it to fans of young-adult realistic fiction.
I give this book four stars instead of five because I felt like it was missing that little extra emotional punch to make me feel super invested. Still, I’d consider recommending it to fans of young-adult realistic fiction.
July 15, 2025
⋆｡°✩ THE QUEENS OF NEW YORK ✩°｡⋆
Wow this book is so amazing and definitely one of my new favorites. I cried so many times.
‧₊˚✧ 🥟 the gals 🥟 ✧˚₊‧
I loved, no I adored the dumpling concept 👌
I loved reading about the different cultures and I’m glad that they were from 3 different countries and not just from the same one. (Jia = Chinese, Everette = Vietnamese, Ariel = Korean). It really brought diversity.
the way it was written was just perfect and fit so well, with the emails and texts.
‧₊˚✧ 🥢 jia 🥢 ✧˚₊‧
I loved the history behind Jia's family, learning about their migration from China/Taiwan.
honestly tho, jia stressed me out with juggling everything.
She is so cute with Akil (who I honestly thought was gonna reject her hehe). the way he rambles is so cute and he's just a walking green flag. Can someone tell me where he's from though? I need to know. -> update: he's half-egyptian, half-white like me omg!
‧₊˚✧ 🌊 ariel 🌊 ✧˚₊‧
This part had me crying the most, if what happened to her happened to me, I think I would go into a depressed state too. I liked Haejin and Carl a lot more than I thought I would. I expected them to baby her, but they treated her in such an amazing way.
Following Ariel's story and uncovering her sister's death was so sweet, it really makes you appreciate things in life.
‧₊˚✧ 🎤 everett 🎤 ✧˚₊‧
I think Everett is definitely my favorite. she is such a girl boss omg. I was silently cheering so hard when she gave those theater brats a piece of her mind.
from the very start I said chenny and those theater girls were sus.
I really admire the way she's not afraid to speak up and stand up for what she knows it right, it's a skill I am personally trying to work on.
‧₊˚✧ 💐 overall 💐 ✧˚₊‧
I loved how relatable and modern this book was, it was a great story with amazing characters and an amazing message which is making me more conscious of how I act.
this book was amazing and will always stay close to my heart 💞
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 shiny, golden stars
Ethan (Ev's bro) binge watching that show was so me tho hehe 🤭
Wow this book is so amazing and definitely one of my new favorites. I cried so many times.
‧₊˚✧ 🥟 the gals 🥟 ✧˚₊‧
I loved, no I adored the dumpling concept 👌
"Ariel is the skin- the delicate foundation that can make something beautiful out of nothing.
Everett is the meat- tough, juicy, and packed with spice.
And me? (Jia) I guess I’m the water, the one keeping us all together."
I loved reading about the different cultures and I’m glad that they were from 3 different countries and not just from the same one. (Jia = Chinese, Everette = Vietnamese, Ariel = Korean). It really brought diversity.
the way it was written was just perfect and fit so well, with the emails and texts.
‧₊˚✧ 🥢 jia 🥢 ✧˚₊‧
I loved the history behind Jia's family, learning about their migration from China/Taiwan.
honestly tho, jia stressed me out with juggling everything.
She is so cute with Akil (who I honestly thought was gonna reject her hehe). the way he rambles is so cute and he's just a walking green flag. Can someone tell me where he's from though? I need to know. -> update: he's half-egyptian, half-white like me omg!
‧₊˚✧ 🌊 ariel 🌊 ✧˚₊‧
This part had me crying the most, if what happened to her happened to me, I think I would go into a depressed state too. I liked Haejin and Carl a lot more than I thought I would. I expected them to baby her, but they treated her in such an amazing way.
Following Ariel's story and uncovering her sister's death was so sweet, it really makes you appreciate things in life.
‧₊˚✧ 🎤 everett 🎤 ✧˚₊‧
I think Everett is definitely my favorite. she is such a girl boss omg. I was silently cheering so hard when she gave those theater brats a piece of her mind.
from the very start I said chenny and those theater girls were sus.
I really admire the way she's not afraid to speak up and stand up for what she knows it right, it's a skill I am personally trying to work on.
‧₊˚✧ 💐 overall 💐 ✧˚₊‧
I loved how relatable and modern this book was, it was a great story with amazing characters and an amazing message which is making me more conscious of how I act.
this book was amazing and will always stay close to my heart 💞
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 shiny, golden stars
Ethan (Ev's bro) binge watching that show was so me tho hehe 🤭
July 19, 2023
cried so many times and i love this so so much
June 9, 2024
Wow i was completely not expecting this at all, but it totally blew me away!!🤩 First of all, this book had soooo many layers! It looked at friendships, family relationships, growing up and graduating high school, grief, racism, and money problems. I absolutely loved getting to look at all of those topics with three different POV's! Basically, this book was written from the POV of three girls, Jia, Ariel, and Everett. They've been besties since a really young age, but this summer they're all going in different directions and trying to figure stuff out. At first, it did feel a little bit slow...almost like the build up was too long? But after the halfway point, it got really good! I loved how we got to see each of the girls work towards their goals and really be vulnerable with their friends and also their parents. I really love the NYC setting as well! I love books that really make you think, and this is a great example of that! I literally started and finished it in a day, so I would def say it's very fast paced yet still super deep and meaningful! Normally I'm not a huge fan of contemporary, but this book was perfectly written! Overall, this book is so beautifully written, getting to see their friendship spelled out on the page, and also getting to see them all face their own issues, yet rally together to solve them!! The setting was so fun, NYC was the base but we kinda got to travel around the world with them!! The characters were so deep yet fun to read about, and the plot was so well written and clever, yet simple and easy to understand!! Honestly, this was the better version of the sisterhood of traveling pants lol! E.L Shen is def a new fav author!😄
Pages: 324
Language: 🤭🤭🤭🤭
TW⚠️: Racism, alcohol use, grief/loss
Genre: YA contemporary
Format I read: Hardback (library)
Would I recommend to others: Yes!
Pages: 324
Language: 🤭🤭🤭🤭
TW⚠️: Racism, alcohol use, grief/loss
Genre: YA contemporary
Format I read: Hardback (library)
Would I recommend to others: Yes!
July 29, 2023
3.5-3.75
A relatable story with a good message.
The story follows three friends: Jia, Ariel, and Everett. Jia's family wants her to take over the family restaurant in Chinatown, but she doesn't know if that's what she wants for her future. Ariel has been struggling ever since her sister's death. She hasn't been herself and doesn't know how to move on. Meanwhile, Everett, an aspiring Broadway star, is trying to nab the lead role in a theater production. Little does she know, it's not always about talent.
It wasn't as emotional or deep as I would have liked, but it was still a good coming-of-age story about family, grief, and racism. Would recommend!
***Thank you to NetGalley, E.L. Shen, and HarperCollins Children's Books, Quill Tree Books for graciously sending me the ARC to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***
A relatable story with a good message.
The story follows three friends: Jia, Ariel, and Everett. Jia's family wants her to take over the family restaurant in Chinatown, but she doesn't know if that's what she wants for her future. Ariel has been struggling ever since her sister's death. She hasn't been herself and doesn't know how to move on. Meanwhile, Everett, an aspiring Broadway star, is trying to nab the lead role in a theater production. Little does she know, it's not always about talent.
It wasn't as emotional or deep as I would have liked, but it was still a good coming-of-age story about family, grief, and racism. Would recommend!
***Thank you to NetGalley, E.L. Shen, and HarperCollins Children's Books, Quill Tree Books for graciously sending me the ARC to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***
July 30, 2024
when i started the first chapter of this book, i immediately knew that it was going to become one of my favorite books of 2024. and my predictions were 100% correct!!
i don't think i've ever cried so much because of a book in a very, very long time (and that says something for me.) this book isn't sad, it doesn't have a tragic ending, but it still tugged on my heartstrings and got me sobbing at 2am.
‧₊˚🖇️the writing: honestly felt like i was reading each character's diary, and i loved that. we see jia's thoughts, ariel's thoughts, everett's thoughts, and that made me love them so much more. every one of them had her ups and downs, and they were together through it all. dare i say, the cutest most heartwarming trio ever 🥹 each character meant so much to me, and i wanted to hug them and tell them that everything would be okay.
ariel: i genuinely just wanted to hug her and never let go. the love she had for her sister, i felt on another level. and... the emails she sends to everett and jia? tears. so much. every single email had me sobbing, and highlighting the whole thing. being the youngest, and having a sister which i'm really close with made me feel more love for ariel. her relationship with her parents as well, where they expect so much of her and she tries her best, but somehow, it's never enough.
jia: i love all of them equally, but jia just has a different place in my heart. she's the older sister, the one who has to pick up all the pieces. the one who has dreams, ambitions, goals. i think her chapters made me smile the most, because she was the sweetest, most supportive friend you could ever ask for, while she's struggling and grappling with her own issues. she seems so much like the friend who you can go to for everything and anything under the sun. and i love her so, so much. (if that wasn't clear already hehe)
everett: such a queen. i aspire to be like her someday. the way she was so out-spoken, and she fought for her rights, even if that meant sacrificing something she wanted so bad. i actually clapped when she stopped those racist losers. i don't think i would be able to do that, so her character sort of inspired me to learn how to say no, how to speak up for what i know is right. i want to be her friend.
5.5 stars. honorable mention, thank you to my gr friend, nour, she's the one who introduced me to this perfection of a book 🤍
i don't think i've ever cried so much because of a book in a very, very long time (and that says something for me.) this book isn't sad, it doesn't have a tragic ending, but it still tugged on my heartstrings and got me sobbing at 2am.
‧₊˚🖇️the writing: honestly felt like i was reading each character's diary, and i loved that. we see jia's thoughts, ariel's thoughts, everett's thoughts, and that made me love them so much more. every one of them had her ups and downs, and they were together through it all. dare i say, the cutest most heartwarming trio ever 🥹 each character meant so much to me, and i wanted to hug them and tell them that everything would be okay.
ariel: i genuinely just wanted to hug her and never let go. the love she had for her sister, i felt on another level. and... the emails she sends to everett and jia? tears. so much. every single email had me sobbing, and highlighting the whole thing. being the youngest, and having a sister which i'm really close with made me feel more love for ariel. her relationship with her parents as well, where they expect so much of her and she tries her best, but somehow, it's never enough.
''Where, then? Where do I belong?'' ''Sometimes I feel so lost, I'm not even sure where I am.'' ''Do you ever feel like everything's falling apart even when it's coming together?''
jia: i love all of them equally, but jia just has a different place in my heart. she's the older sister, the one who has to pick up all the pieces. the one who has dreams, ambitions, goals. i think her chapters made me smile the most, because she was the sweetest, most supportive friend you could ever ask for, while she's struggling and grappling with her own issues. she seems so much like the friend who you can go to for everything and anything under the sun. and i love her so, so much. (if that wasn't clear already hehe)
''It's easier to live in someone else's world, where I can pretend I belong. But I can't pretend anymore.'' ''I think of all the things I want to be - fire escape dreams and glass tower fantasies.''
everett: such a queen. i aspire to be like her someday. the way she was so out-spoken, and she fought for her rights, even if that meant sacrificing something she wanted so bad. i actually clapped when she stopped those racist losers. i don't think i would be able to do that, so her character sort of inspired me to learn how to say no, how to speak up for what i know is right. i want to be her friend.
''I am robot Everett. I am feel-nothing Everett. And then, at last, I am not.'' ''..For Ariel and Jia. For ten-year-old Everett. For the Everett I want to be. So I begin.''
5.5 stars. honorable mention, thank you to my gr friend, nour, she's the one who introduced me to this perfection of a book 🤍
May 28, 2023
Won this off epicreads Instagram giveaway, thanks 😊
---
FYI: this took me a little longer to read because I kept getting headaches. I was puzzled why as the print looked normal to me. Showed my friend for a second opinion and she said it was normal size but the print looked thinner for the letters.I compared it to a few other books I have and she was right.
Migraines have caused me issues since my car accident in 2008 and I can't read small print or unusual font without pain.
This is just a me issue but I wanted to warn anyone else just in case you have the same problem.
----
Review:
This was a nice story about three girls growing up in a way and finding themselves and what is important to them. I connected with Jia the most but I did love all of them.
Their friendship had me smiling 😃 and I wanted to spend more time with them.
Would recommend:) Definitely gonna re-read this one day when I can get the audiobook.
---
FYI: this took me a little longer to read because I kept getting headaches. I was puzzled why as the print looked normal to me. Showed my friend for a second opinion and she said it was normal size but the print looked thinner for the letters.I compared it to a few other books I have and she was right.
Migraines have caused me issues since my car accident in 2008 and I can't read small print or unusual font without pain.
This is just a me issue but I wanted to warn anyone else just in case you have the same problem.
----
Review:
This was a nice story about three girls growing up in a way and finding themselves and what is important to them. I connected with Jia the most but I did love all of them.
Their friendship had me smiling 😃 and I wanted to spend more time with them.
Would recommend:) Definitely gonna re-read this one day when I can get the audiobook.
April 5, 2025
I immediately got sisterhood of the travelling pants vibes from this book. I love a typical navigation next chapter in life but always having your friends kind of vibe.
I love how the three girls - Jia, Everett & Ariel were different Asian ethnicities (Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean). I love how the challenges they each faced were realistic and I appreciated how the author tied in the theme racism, grief, family and finding oneself.
I found it interesting how there was no conflict or tension between the 3 girls, as most of these type of books create some rocky waves just to recover. I liked it though.
Also this book made me want dumplings LOL.
“There are three parts to every perfect dumpling: the skin, the meat, and the water”.
I love how the three girls - Jia, Everett & Ariel were different Asian ethnicities (Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean). I love how the challenges they each faced were realistic and I appreciated how the author tied in the theme racism, grief, family and finding oneself.
I found it interesting how there was no conflict or tension between the 3 girls, as most of these type of books create some rocky waves just to recover. I liked it though.
Also this book made me want dumplings LOL.
“There are three parts to every perfect dumpling: the skin, the meat, and the water”.
June 7, 2025
Простая и вместе с этим трогательная книга, по-настоящему летняя и душевная. Я долго откладывала ее, но решила, что точно начну этот июнь с нее.
Главные героини — это три лучших подруги, Джиа, Эверет и Ариэль. Этим летом им предстоит расстаться на некоторое время и провести свои дни порознь перед волнующим и одновременно страшным шагом во взрослую жизнь.
Джиа живет с родителями над ресторанчиком китайской кухни, в котором каждый день помогает, ведь там всегда не хватает рабочих рук. Ее жизнь наполнена заботами о семейном деле, маленькой сестренке и больной бабуле. Но втайне она мечтает рисовать и гулять с парнем, в которого влюбилась, столько, сколько захочет.
Эверет уезжает в Огайо в летний театральный лагерь. Ее мечта — стать бродвейской актрисой, и она готова почти что на все. Поэтому когда руководство лагеря решает поставить очень сомнительный мюзикл, а вместо заслуженной главной роли Эверет получает роль персонажа с очень расистским подтекстом, ее облачные замки начинают рушиться.
Ариэль не может оправиться от смерти сестры. Родители хотят для нее только хорошего, но подготовительные курсы в колледж кажутся просто невыносимыми в сравнении с тем, что гибель сестры все еще остается тайной в их семье. И Ариэль хочется действовать.
Мне понравились все три героини. В истории каждой из них есть и грустные моменты, и бесхитростные приключения, и надежда на лучшее. А еще вся книга пронизана темой семьи.
Здесь нет чего-то грандиозного, но книга получилась очень-очень летней. С множеством вкусов и запахов — от сочных дамплингов в ресторанчике «У Ли» в жаркий день до острых токпокки в Пусане и шоколадного мороженого.
Главные героини — это три лучших подруги, Джиа, Эверет и Ариэль. Этим летом им предстоит расстаться на некоторое время и провести свои дни порознь перед волнующим и одновременно страшным шагом во взрослую жизнь.
Джиа живет с родителями над ресторанчиком китайской кухни, в котором каждый день помогает, ведь там всегда не хватает рабочих рук. Ее жизнь наполнена заботами о семейном деле, маленькой сестренке и больной бабуле. Но втайне она мечтает рисовать и гулять с парнем, в которого влюбилась, столько, сколько захочет.
Эверет уезжает в Огайо в летний театральный лагерь. Ее мечта — стать бродвейской актрисой, и она готова почти что на все. Поэтому когда руководство лагеря решает поставить очень сомнительный мюзикл, а вместо заслуженной главной роли Эверет получает роль персонажа с очень расистским подтекстом, ее облачные замки начинают рушиться.
Ариэль не может оправиться от смерти сестры. Родители хотят для нее только хорошего, но подготовительные курсы в колледж кажутся просто невыносимыми в сравнении с тем, что гибель сестры все еще остается тайной в их семье. И Ариэль хочется действовать.
Мне понравились все три героини. В истории каждой из них есть и грустные моменты, и бесхитростные приключения, и надежда на лучшее. А еще вся книга пронизана темой семьи.
Здесь нет чего-то грандиозного, но книга получилась очень-очень летней. С множеством вкусов и запахов — от сочных дамплингов в ресторанчике «У Ли» в жаркий день до острых токпокки в Пусане и шоколадного мороженого.
November 3, 2023
Poignant, compelling, real
The Queens of New York follows three best friends who are going on solo journeys during the summer. Jia spends her days at her families dumpling house in Chinatown watching her grandma and seeing a cute boy. Everett is off to an acting camp that will bring her closer to her Broadway dreams. Ariel is headed to California for camp at her future university with grief on her shoulders. As the summer brings new emotions and experiences, the three stay connected.
This book was a stunning story. I loved the three points of view because they were all unique and relatable. It was enjoyable to read the book through the lense of the girls’ friendship. With the writing style, it was easy to get immersed in the story and setting. I really enjoyed this!!
The Queens of New York follows three best friends who are going on solo journeys during the summer. Jia spends her days at her families dumpling house in Chinatown watching her grandma and seeing a cute boy. Everett is off to an acting camp that will bring her closer to her Broadway dreams. Ariel is headed to California for camp at her future university with grief on her shoulders. As the summer brings new emotions and experiences, the three stay connected.
This book was a stunning story. I loved the three points of view because they were all unique and relatable. It was enjoyable to read the book through the lense of the girls’ friendship. With the writing style, it was easy to get immersed in the story and setting. I really enjoyed this!!
July 1, 2025
не сдержалась и дослушала всё за день😭
очень понравилась книга, очень добрая, трогательная. всё время что я слушала я была как стикер с плачущим котенком. каждая из девочек понравилась, но история ариэль прям врезалась в сердце.
очень крутой, летний вайб, такой же как у «союза волшебные штаны»🙏 а за отсылки к мюзиклам просто моё почтение от theatre kid
очень понравилась книга, очень добрая, трогательная. всё время что я слушала я была как стикер с плачущим котенком. каждая из девочек понравилась, но история ариэль прям врезалась в сердце.
очень крутой, летний вайб, такой же как у «союза волшебные штаны»🙏 а за отсылки к мюзиклам просто моё почтение от theatre kid
September 4, 2024
3.75⭐️
April 8, 2025
Girlhood and friendship 😭🩵
July 5, 2023
one thing about me is that i’m going to absolutely devour books about friendship. I truly loved this one and the writing was so addicting. will definitely be rereading this in the future
2023
October 16, 2025ANHPI TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Quill Tree Books
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Quill Tree Books
November 13, 2024
I want a friendship like theirs ☹️
June 2, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley, author E. L. Shen, and HarperCollins Children's Books-- Quill Tree Books for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
This was everything that I've been wanting to read recently. Shen's writing is SO beautiful, and I simply can't believe this was her YA debut!! I absolutely adored not only the friendship between Jia, Everett, and Ariel, but I also adored how unique each girl was. They complimented each other perfectly, and their friendship shined when they were together, but each girl's story was so richly developed that I could have read a whole book centered around everyone individually. The rich settings of New York, Korea, and Ohio helped to enhance the story, and I loved being transported in the text. The Queens of New York had a little of everything, from romance to loss to family responsibilities to expectations to racial issues to passion and more. There was really no stone left unturned, but every issue covered was extremely natural in the storyline and had a time/place. I can only hope to read a reunion between Jia, Everett, and Ariel in the future because I would LOVE to see their friendship continue to develop. This book made me want to call all my friends and give them my love; I definitely recommend for a heartfelt read this summer!
This was everything that I've been wanting to read recently. Shen's writing is SO beautiful, and I simply can't believe this was her YA debut!! I absolutely adored not only the friendship between Jia, Everett, and Ariel, but I also adored how unique each girl was. They complimented each other perfectly, and their friendship shined when they were together, but each girl's story was so richly developed that I could have read a whole book centered around everyone individually. The rich settings of New York, Korea, and Ohio helped to enhance the story, and I loved being transported in the text. The Queens of New York had a little of everything, from romance to loss to family responsibilities to expectations to racial issues to passion and more. There was really no stone left unturned, but every issue covered was extremely natural in the storyline and had a time/place. I can only hope to read a reunion between Jia, Everett, and Ariel in the future because I would LOVE to see their friendship continue to develop. This book made me want to call all my friends and give them my love; I definitely recommend for a heartfelt read this summer!
May 29, 2023
Book Title: The Queens of New York
Standalone or Series: Standalone
Author: E.L. Shen
Genre(s): YA, Romance, Contemporary
Recommended Age Rating: 11-12+
Reasons Why: Infrequent language (f-word), racism, romance (kissing)
Recommended for Fans of: Romance and amazing stories
Overall Rating: A+++
Brief Summary: Jia Lee's family owns a Chinese restaurant in New York city. Everette Hoang wants to be a famous Broadway star. Ariel Kim needs to come to terms with her older sister Bea's death.
Three best friends living in New York city go their separate ways for the summer but keep in contact via text and email while they learn about themselves and the world around them.
This book made me cry. It's so beautiful and heartfelt, I couldn't put it down. By far the best book I've read in a long time -- maybe ever.
Standalone or Series: Standalone
Author: E.L. Shen
Genre(s): YA, Romance, Contemporary
Recommended Age Rating: 11-12+
Reasons Why: Infrequent language (f-word), racism, romance (kissing)
Recommended for Fans of: Romance and amazing stories
Overall Rating: A+++
Brief Summary: Jia Lee's family owns a Chinese restaurant in New York city. Everette Hoang wants to be a famous Broadway star. Ariel Kim needs to come to terms with her older sister Bea's death.
Three best friends living in New York city go their separate ways for the summer but keep in contact via text and email while they learn about themselves and the world around them.
This book made me cry. It's so beautiful and heartfelt, I couldn't put it down. By far the best book I've read in a long time -- maybe ever.
June 16, 2024
queens of new york? more like unbelievably naive, dense, and oversensitive teenage girls that do not seem realistic in the slightest.
as an avid consumer of asian-american literary fiction, i really, really wanted to love this one. but not all books work out, i guess.
the queens of new york was great... until the plot hit. ouch. i found that the storylines of each protagonist were either 1) extremely redundant or 2) sorely lacking. or both!
now, the pitch for this book, as well as the execution of alternating povs, was excellently done. but the actual content of the book? oh man.
let’s start with ariel. i’m going to commend ariel’s story because it was actually original, and something i haven’t seen in a book before, which is a rare occurrence. the golden girl of the family, ariel was never able to process her sister’s tragic death in busan one year ago. unable to move past it, she travels to busan without her parents’ knowledge and resolves to find closure on what happened. ariel’s story shone light on the struggles faced by a golden child, something relevant but not commonly tackled in asian-american fiction. i also appreciated how ariel’s emotions were translated to the page. ariel is a highly intelligent individual, and she does not feel like other people do. in fact, she seems to be isolated socially from the rest, and she consequently struggles to connect with her peers. so it’s definitely interesting to see how she deals with the more raw topics of death and grief. my only note on ariel’s story is that there’s a tiny plot hole at the end. other than that, ariel’s story was very solid and i was overall satisfied with it, hehe.
now, jia. jia is set to inherit her parents’ chinatown restaurant that they built from the ground up when they immigrated to the us. but jia, already weighed down by her familial duties, is not interested in this, and she dreams of a different path for herself. her family also encounters financial hardships that impel her to stay and deter her from pursuing what she truly wants. familiar? yeah. i’m pretty sure i’ve read tons of books like this in the past, in addition to hearing this exact immigrant narrative from both fiction and non fiction sources. look. it’s important to tell the stories of the marginalized, but you still gotta be a little creative. or you oversaturate the market, and sacrifice the novel quality of your book. from jia’s first chapter, i was already able to predict the general course of her story, including events that were intended to serve as a plot twist. if you can predict everything that’s gonna happen, what’s left? not much. her romance with akil was also pretty generic and dry and i found parts of it unrealistic. but the lack of realism in jia’s story does not even compare to the lack of realism in everett’s story. that one had me audibly laughing.
whew, everett. had me complaining before i even finished the book! everett is an ultra competitive and admittedly talented vietnamese-american girl who arrives at ohio for an intensive musical theater program. what immediately struck out to me from the moment i read her first chapter was her ego, which was through the roof! while she had the talent to support it, her ego rendered her chapters as incredibly narcissistic and unbearable, and i feel like i’d be her #1 hater after this. apart from her ego, she was also so naive about the racism that she faced at her program. despite the director clearly exhibiting racist behavior from their first interaction, everett continued to assume that he was simply uneducated and needed correcting. bro. i live in the philippines, which is largely free from discrimination, and even i know that all of that is pointless. for a girl that lives in new york, everett must be so dumb to keep on correcting a racist and be surprised at the fact that it doesn’t work. but keep sending those letters, sure. everett is so hellbent on resolving the discrimination present within her program but rather than her coming off as noble, she comes off as foolish and laughable. imagine a biden supporter marching into a room of trump supporters and being like guys… this is wrong… LMAO. i realize that the author intended for her to serve as a heroine type figure, but i sincerely hope that little girls don’t read this and think, ah, i must do that too! please don’t. protesting works against people who are open to change, and if you’re going to protest, make sure you have a sizable amount of supporters. otherwise, you’ll be lost to the crowd. i will never understand everett’s determination to fix a program full of racists. that’s not how re-educating works, and if anyone is responsible for that, it certainly won’t be her.
aside from everett’s naivete, the lack of non-racists at the camp is absurdly unrealistic. i’d understand it if all the participants were from a republican state but the participants originated all over the country. theater is an extremely liberal art and i find it hard to believe that all the participants chosen were racists. it’s the 21st century. let’s think with our heads here. how is it possible that everyone at the camp is a cishet white person except for everett? this is a huge misstep on the author’s part and it def compromised the quality of the book.
in the expanding genre of asian-american literary fiction, there is a greater demand to publish books that are original and can contribute to the ya industry. but unfortunately, this did not. there were too many mid storylines and plot holes that left me more dissatisfied than astonished. it’s decent, but i wouldn’t recommend it. 3.5/5
as an avid consumer of asian-american literary fiction, i really, really wanted to love this one. but not all books work out, i guess.
the queens of new york was great... until the plot hit. ouch. i found that the storylines of each protagonist were either 1) extremely redundant or 2) sorely lacking. or both!
now, the pitch for this book, as well as the execution of alternating povs, was excellently done. but the actual content of the book? oh man.
let’s start with ariel. i’m going to commend ariel’s story because it was actually original, and something i haven’t seen in a book before, which is a rare occurrence. the golden girl of the family, ariel was never able to process her sister’s tragic death in busan one year ago. unable to move past it, she travels to busan without her parents’ knowledge and resolves to find closure on what happened. ariel’s story shone light on the struggles faced by a golden child, something relevant but not commonly tackled in asian-american fiction. i also appreciated how ariel’s emotions were translated to the page. ariel is a highly intelligent individual, and she does not feel like other people do. in fact, she seems to be isolated socially from the rest, and she consequently struggles to connect with her peers. so it’s definitely interesting to see how she deals with the more raw topics of death and grief. my only note on ariel’s story is that there’s a tiny plot hole at the end. other than that, ariel’s story was very solid and i was overall satisfied with it, hehe.
now, jia. jia is set to inherit her parents’ chinatown restaurant that they built from the ground up when they immigrated to the us. but jia, already weighed down by her familial duties, is not interested in this, and she dreams of a different path for herself. her family also encounters financial hardships that impel her to stay and deter her from pursuing what she truly wants. familiar? yeah. i’m pretty sure i’ve read tons of books like this in the past, in addition to hearing this exact immigrant narrative from both fiction and non fiction sources. look. it’s important to tell the stories of the marginalized, but you still gotta be a little creative. or you oversaturate the market, and sacrifice the novel quality of your book. from jia’s first chapter, i was already able to predict the general course of her story, including events that were intended to serve as a plot twist. if you can predict everything that’s gonna happen, what’s left? not much. her romance with akil was also pretty generic and dry and i found parts of it unrealistic. but the lack of realism in jia’s story does not even compare to the lack of realism in everett’s story. that one had me audibly laughing.
whew, everett. had me complaining before i even finished the book! everett is an ultra competitive and admittedly talented vietnamese-american girl who arrives at ohio for an intensive musical theater program. what immediately struck out to me from the moment i read her first chapter was her ego, which was through the roof! while she had the talent to support it, her ego rendered her chapters as incredibly narcissistic and unbearable, and i feel like i’d be her #1 hater after this. apart from her ego, she was also so naive about the racism that she faced at her program. despite the director clearly exhibiting racist behavior from their first interaction, everett continued to assume that he was simply uneducated and needed correcting. bro. i live in the philippines, which is largely free from discrimination, and even i know that all of that is pointless. for a girl that lives in new york, everett must be so dumb to keep on correcting a racist and be surprised at the fact that it doesn’t work. but keep sending those letters, sure. everett is so hellbent on resolving the discrimination present within her program but rather than her coming off as noble, she comes off as foolish and laughable. imagine a biden supporter marching into a room of trump supporters and being like guys… this is wrong… LMAO. i realize that the author intended for her to serve as a heroine type figure, but i sincerely hope that little girls don’t read this and think, ah, i must do that too! please don’t. protesting works against people who are open to change, and if you’re going to protest, make sure you have a sizable amount of supporters. otherwise, you’ll be lost to the crowd. i will never understand everett’s determination to fix a program full of racists. that’s not how re-educating works, and if anyone is responsible for that, it certainly won’t be her.
aside from everett’s naivete, the lack of non-racists at the camp is absurdly unrealistic. i’d understand it if all the participants were from a republican state but the participants originated all over the country. theater is an extremely liberal art and i find it hard to believe that all the participants chosen were racists. it’s the 21st century. let’s think with our heads here. how is it possible that everyone at the camp is a cishet white person except for everett? this is a huge misstep on the author’s part and it def compromised the quality of the book.
in the expanding genre of asian-american literary fiction, there is a greater demand to publish books that are original and can contribute to the ya industry. but unfortunately, this did not. there were too many mid storylines and plot holes that left me more dissatisfied than astonished. it’s decent, but i wouldn’t recommend it. 3.5/5
July 30, 2023
This book shows what a lot of kids in immigrant families don’t get to see at all or at least until they’re adults which is closure from their family. Although it took a while I’m glad they were able to comfortably talk to their parents about what they want for their future and their parents fully understanding. It’s was an interesting read but I did wish they showed more about the girls deeper.
January 16, 2025
"It's easier to live in someone else's world, where I can pretend I belong."
July 31, 2024
4.5/5
WOW !!!!!! all of the mcs were my fav and they were all so real in a fun unique way !!!! idk what else to say but yay !!!!!!!
WOW !!!!!! all of the mcs were my fav and they were all so real in a fun unique way !!!! idk what else to say but yay !!!!!!!
July 9, 2023
I sat and read this book start to finish this evening and it was absolutely everything I wanted to be: a book about life and the complexities that come with it. Highly recommend!!
December 11, 2023
Such a good book! All three girls are truly iconic with lovely characters arcs that feel real. Reading their conversations makes me feel like I was apart of their group. Please read.
Kissy kissy,
Slay
Kissy kissy,
Slay
September 6, 2023
The cover is cute. It seemed like one of the narrators was yelling aggressively at you lol. Didn't like that at all. There are three narrators in total.
November 14, 2025
awe. love love love.
finally a bit more of a comforting book compared to whatever i've been reading before it.
finally a bit more of a comforting book compared to whatever i've been reading before it.
September 1, 2023
Our wonderful book club leader said this book reminded her of 'The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants" and I couldn't agree more -- while these young women are dealing with heavy topics like sibling loss, elder care, the stigma against immigrants, racist programs, family/parental expectations, anxiety, etc. -- they are such a strong trio of friends that you feel enveloped in a world of such grace and care. The voices of each narrator is so distinctive that I didn't mind the hopping between stories / timelines at all. While I could see some of the storylines coming, I didn't mind as I wanted to see the ways in which the girls supported each other through these obstacles. While there's one storyline that bothers me as it doesn't feel realistic (how does a family go from worrying about paying rent and laying off workers to suddenly being able to pay for an in-home caregiver?), the rest was a pleasant, quick read.
On a side note, this book was the first I managed to read fully in paper copy since having my baby, so I'm looking forward to getting back to hardcovers waiting patiently for me on my shelves.
On a side note, this book was the first I managed to read fully in paper copy since having my baby, so I'm looking forward to getting back to hardcovers waiting patiently for me on my shelves.
March 10, 2024
Actual rating: 2.5 stars.
I came across this quite by chance on Goodreads, and as a big YA reader who is Korean American and from NYC, I thought this would be a really cute read.
It took me way longer to finish than I expected. Part of that is because I was busy and traveling a lot during this period, yes. But another part of it is that--hmm. It doesn't feel quite fair to call it clunky--it's a bit less than that--but it also wasn't the kind of smooth read that felt effortless in a good way.
For one, none of the voices felt that distinct from each other. I could and did forget who I was reading from until I got clued into context about where each was spending the summer. For another, none of the stories felt that compelling. We have Ariel's inability to let people in, Everett's frustrating encounters with racism in Ohio, and Jia's guilt-ridden but equally incommunicative budding relationship with Akil, which I personally felt zero chemistry or investment in.
Do they all grow? Yes. Are there still parts I found vaguely touching? Yes. But did I ever feel compelled to read or particularly wowed by anything? No. This was just real life but a bit more heavy-handed and clunky (I think the word is not entirely unfair after all), and it took time to wade through.
Seems like a lot of other people loved it more, so maybe it's just me. Give me a Jenny Han any day, where the characters feel complex and like real people but the reading is effortless.
I came across this quite by chance on Goodreads, and as a big YA reader who is Korean American and from NYC, I thought this would be a really cute read.
It took me way longer to finish than I expected. Part of that is because I was busy and traveling a lot during this period, yes. But another part of it is that--hmm. It doesn't feel quite fair to call it clunky--it's a bit less than that--but it also wasn't the kind of smooth read that felt effortless in a good way.
For one, none of the voices felt that distinct from each other. I could and did forget who I was reading from until I got clued into context about where each was spending the summer. For another, none of the stories felt that compelling. We have Ariel's inability to let people in, Everett's frustrating encounters with racism in Ohio, and Jia's guilt-ridden but equally incommunicative budding relationship with Akil, which I personally felt zero chemistry or investment in.
Do they all grow? Yes. Are there still parts I found vaguely touching? Yes. But did I ever feel compelled to read or particularly wowed by anything? No. This was just real life but a bit more heavy-handed and clunky (I think the word is not entirely unfair after all), and it took time to wade through.
Seems like a lot of other people loved it more, so maybe it's just me. Give me a Jenny Han any day, where the characters feel complex and like real people but the reading is effortless.
February 8, 2023
This review is based on an ARC of The Queens of New York which I received courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher (HarperCollins Children's/Quill Tree Books).
A gem of a book! The Queens of New York is a fast-paced, endearing, and fresh coming-of-age YA contemporary. This novel is told from the alternating points of view of best friends Jia, Everett, and Ariel, tracking their paths over the course of one momentous summer. Covering topics from romance to familial expectations to standing up for what one believes in, this book has an empowering message for every reader. (Think American Panda, minus the fanfiction vibes.) On top of this, it's a plain great story about the unbreakable bonds of friendship.
I loved the writing, the pacing, and the characters. I devoured this book, finishing it in just over 24 hours! The Queens of New York is a stunner from an undeniable new voice in YA literature! This summer, keep an eye out for E.L. Shen's The Queens of New York! You will not be let down.
A gem of a book! The Queens of New York is a fast-paced, endearing, and fresh coming-of-age YA contemporary. This novel is told from the alternating points of view of best friends Jia, Everett, and Ariel, tracking their paths over the course of one momentous summer. Covering topics from romance to familial expectations to standing up for what one believes in, this book has an empowering message for every reader. (Think American Panda, minus the fanfiction vibes.) On top of this, it's a plain great story about the unbreakable bonds of friendship.
I loved the writing, the pacing, and the characters. I devoured this book, finishing it in just over 24 hours! The Queens of New York is a stunner from an undeniable new voice in YA literature! This summer, keep an eye out for E.L. Shen's The Queens of New York! You will not be let down.
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