Der beste Beweis bist du selbst

by Jesmeen Kaur Deo, Meritxell Janina Piel (Translator)

TJ Powar ist sportlich, beliebt und ein Ass im Debattierklub, in dem sie mit ihrer Cousine Simran meist im Team antritt. Als nach einem gewonnenen Wettbewerb das Siegerfoto der beiden zu einem fiesen Meme verunstaltet wird, das sich über Simrans Körperbehaarung lustig macht, ist TJ schockiert. Sie beschließt, ihre ganz eigene These aufzustellen: »TJ Powar kann ihr haariges Selbst und trotzdem schön sein.« Um das zu beweisen, wirft sie zu Hause Rasierer und Pinzetten weg, cancelt ihre Termine im Waxing-Studio und findet sich schon bald in wortwörtlich haarigen Situationen wieder. Doch ihre sonst so selbstsichere und schlagfertige Art beginnt zu bröckeln, als sie merkt, dass ihr Projekt sie weit mehr kosten könnte als den Platz zwischen ihren Augenbrauen. Es ist ausgerechnet Charlie, ihr härtester und nervigster Debattierkonkurrent, der ihr einige Argumente zum Beweis ihrer These liefert …

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Feminism, Young Adult Contemporary, Audiobook

396 pages, Hardcover

First published June 7, 2022

About the author

Jesmeen Kaur Deo grew up in northern British Columbia, Canada, where she spent most of her childhood daydreaming. She loves books that can make her laugh and tug at her heartstrings in the same paragraph. When not wrapped up in stories, she can be found biking, playing the harmonium, or struggling to open jars.

Her debut YA novel, TJ Powar Has Something to Prove, garnered international recognition; it was shortlisted for the German Youth Literature Prize as well as for the Amy Mathers Teen Book Award in Canada, and was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection and Indie Next Pick among other honours. Her second YA novel, Reasons We Break, was named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2025. Jesmeen currently resides in Ontario, where she is always working on another book.

Reviews

[myo ⋆｡˚ ❀ * · Rating 5 out of 5]

the way this is the best book i’ve read all year 😭 it has such an amazing message and the romance was so so good, hope to see more from this author soon.

[Adiba Jaigirdar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely one of my favourite new contemporaries! TJ Powar Has Something To Prove has a little something for everyone. It has a romance at its heart that is filled with chemistry and difficult to not root for. It has a main character who is is messy, conflicted, and incredibly relatable. And my favourite thing - this book does a wonderful job tackling the idea of body hair through a very nuanced perspective. I enjoyed reading the book immensely, but it's also a book I think about often even months after I read the last page because it left me with so much to think about. I feel this is a must-read for everyone, but it's particularly valuable to young girls and women who are starting to understand their own bodies vs how society wants their bodies to be.

[Roz · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️

This is an amazing book and I am honored to have read it! honestly very thankful to the author to have written about this! Much appreciated and needed this ❤️

[Ayushi (bookwormbullet) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Penguin Teen for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING?! AN ACADEMIC RIVALS-TO-LOVERS FEMINIST ROM-COM WITH AMAZING REP??? TJ POWAR deserves all the hype and I cannot wait for everyone to read this next year!

I knew from reading the blurb that this book would be a fresh, feminist rom-com tackling how society views women with body hair, but what I didn’t know is that it would have incredible rep (some examples: the MC and her cousin are Punjabi & Sikh, the love interest has a stutter, and there is an Asian trans side character, and a plus-sized side character) AND that it would be academic rivals-to-lovers. I felt a hint of it coming on in the first few chapters, but I was unsure if I was just grasping at straws. Then, I went to Jesmeen Kaur Deo’s Twitter, where she tweeted that fans of Devi and Ben from Never Have I Ever would enjoy this book, and as a Team Ban stan, she was not wrong omg. Charlie and TJ’s banter, wit, and tension as debate rivals were immaculate and I lived for every scene they shared together. Also, I love how the theme of debate was present throughout the book as well. Even though I’ve never debated in my life before, I could really feel the determination, adrenaline, and pre-tournament anticipation, all throughout the highs and lows of TJ’s final stretch of her high school debate career.

I also absolutely loved the friendships portrayed in this novel, such as TJ and Simran’s relationship and TJ and Chandani’s relationship. It was honestly so refreshing seeing TJ be the beautiful, confident, cool, popular student at her school while being an Indian girl, something I feel like is rarely depicted in western media. Even though she messed up and made a lot of mistakes throughout the novel, her growth as a character was amazing. I really wish this book existed when I was younger. As a fellow hairy desi girl, seeing two Indian girls be confident in showing their body hair at school and sticking it to the assholes who laughed at them was truly inspiring. I genuinely started tearing up while reading this because of what TJ and Simran’s confidence means to me.

Overall, this gets 4.5 stars from me! I think the only reason why I docked off half a star is because the story is told through third person, present tense POV which is probably my least favorite POV + tense combo. It makes sense given the debate themes of the book, but it did leave me confused a lot of the time as to which pronouns were referring to TJ.

I NEED everyone to read this book when it comes out. It would honestly make SUCH a good teen film. I can’t believe this is a debut from Jesmeen Kaur Deo omfg. GO PRE-ORDER IT RIGHT NOW!!!

[Fanna]

16.09.2021 look at that cover, ah!
12.06.2021 for all the hairy, beautiful desi girls!

[Bijuri · Rating 5 out of 5]

THANK YOU TO PENGUIN TEEN FOR AN ARC OF TJ POWAR HAS SOMETHING TO PROVE IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!!

Where do I even begin? WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN? This story is EVERYTHING to me. Jesmeen Kaur Deo singlehandedly rewired my entire brain and changed my fucking life.

PART I: REVIEW
TJ POWAR HAS SOMETHING TO PROVE is a phenomenal book. Adiba Jaigirdar called it "unflinchingly honest" in her blurb and she is RIGHT. Every single aspect of this book is PERFECT. Each character is dynamic and engaging, the plot is perfectly paced and incredibly refreshing, the dialogue is sharp and smart and witty and electric, and the message is so, so, so important. TJ POWAR HAS SOMETHING TO PROVE has the secret sauce that makes a book god tier— 5 stars is not nearly enough for how phenomenal this story truly is. For the first time in my life, I genuinely believe that I can be loved romantically just the way I am. I am beyond thankful this book exists. It's one of those rare books where every single page is quotable and rereadable. Hairy girls really fucking won. As we should! Thank you for changing my life, Jesmeen Kaur Deo.

PART II: BACKGROUND
I guess we should just start at the beginning.
I'm a very hairy Indian American girl. When I was really young, I never thought about body hair. Not once. It was only when other kids at school started pointing it out that I became self-conscious about it. Fuck them, honestly. I've been called all the usual names, with some unique ones thrown in the mix. Monkey? Check. Gorilla? Check. Bear? Check. "Donkey legs" was an interesting one, and it certainly hurt the most. I still remember seeing that text message on my LG Optimus T (I chose the version that was the color burgundy) while standing near the front of my room, near the door, where my smaller bookshelf used to be. It stung. It feels like a ghost of a sting now. I remember sitting in sixth grade Geography class when the boy across from me told me my legs were /so/ hairy. I remember what I was wearing: a purple shirt and those plaid shorts that felt like they matched but probably didn't. (I know everyone was wearing those back then, especially because I recently saw a viral tweet about it.) I remember the boy next to him laughing, and I remember the girl next to me (a school friend, since I barely talked to anyone outside of school) shifting uncomfortably and looking at anyone but me. That's when I started begging my parents to let me remove my body hair. Especially my leg hair. We had P.E./gym every day; being the only one at school with hairy legs was mortifying. My mom was right to say no at the time. She didn't want to start dragging a razor across my skin when I was that young. She told me I could start in high school, but that seemed so far away. I tried cutting off my super long leg hair with scissors when my parents weren't looking. It obviously didn't work.

I somehow got through it, and then I was in high school. I was in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program in high school, which meant two things:
1) I was taking six college-level classes, and
2) P.E./gym was waived because apparently the nerds didn't need to exercise.
I should add a third point and say that when I got into the IB program closest to me, it wasn't my zoned school, so I actually left all the assholes who laughed at me behind and started at a new school with new people. Which ultimately meant I had a fresh start. A clean slate. And I vowed not to create a situation that would lead to a repeat of middle school.
So, with no mandatory gym class, I decided that no one in my high school career would ever see how hairy my body actually was.
I told myself it didn't cost me anything to keep it a secret, but that was a lie. It cost me so much. Once again wondering where the fuck I should begin.
Taking six college-level classes was hard, and I wouldn't settle for less than all A's. So, I didn't really find time to shave or wax my arms and legs. That time went toward sleeping, to be honest. And that meant I wore a long-sleeves top/jacket and jeans EVERY. DAY. Even when it was hot. People would ask me if I felt hot. I lied and said no. It was brutal. I got selected to be on my school's tennis team when I was in ninth grade. I was already juggling classes and way too many extracurriculars, so the thought of adding in a sport— a sport where I would have to wear shorts and a shirt— was too much to fathom. I quit the team almost immediately.
During this time, some of my family came from India to the US. My cousins' mom wanted to open up a beauty salon. But she needed practice threading and waxing, and who better to practice on than me, the girl whose hair grows back weekly? And I was thrilled because my mom finally allowed me to begin removing my facial hair and body hair regularly. My eyebrows got threaded. My upper lip got threaded until I couldn't handle the pain and asked for my upper lip to be waxed instead. My aunt tried different waxes on me to see which one was best for her customers, and I offered up my legs and arms every time. A few weeks later, it would grow back, and she could do it again.

I moved away from home for college. I was still in the same state, and I would come home for festivals and holidays, but my body hair situation changed completely. I couldn't afford to get waxed regularly, but shaving was also not an option in DORM OR SUITE BATHROOMS. Are you kidding me? That would be impossible. If I only removed my body hair when I came home, I would waste so much time. I already had to make the drive to and from college— if I included removing my body hair in that routine, I would have barely any time left for family, friends, myself, and my homework. The solution? Long-sleeves/jackets and jeans everywhere. Again. And we aren't even getting into how I couldn't change in front of my random roommates. It was exhausting.

There's obviously so much more, but I think that's enough of my life story. I just felt like the background was necessary because THIS BOOK. CHANGED EVERYTHING. FOR ME.

PART III: TIMELINE
June 10, 2021: Discovered this book and author on Twitter
September 15, 2021: TJ POWAR cover, synopsis, and excerpt revealed
March 2, 2022: Received ARC from Penguin Teen
March 3, 2022: Finished reading ARC
June 7, 2022: TJ POWAR is released

[✦ rhythm ✦ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ✨

this is for me & all the hairy, desi girls out there, you deserve all the love and more 🥰

such an important and impactful read with a cute academic rivals to lovers story ✨

[(straw)mary ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Debate felt like the one place I could make a difference. If I worked hard enough, I could convince people of something, and it was proof my voice mattered. And that it could do something good.” - Jesmeen Kaur Deo, TJ Powar Has Something to Prove

I don't know if I have the capability to successfully explain how much this book meant to me.

This story follows the life of the beautiful debate queen, TJ Powar, and how she takes a bold stand against the Eurocentric beauty standards that are promoted by society. After her cousin is subjected to being the target of a meme that shames her for her natural body hair, TJ realizes that she must take a stand against the treatment that Desi girls are forced to endure as a result of them not conforming to society's beauty standard. In the midst of such a drastic change, she is forced to face the judgment and shaming that everyone projects onto her, all while she begins falling for her debate partner and trying to balance every aspect of her life. But before she can love anyone else, she must begin by focusing on herself.

Wow. I honestly don't know how to express my appreciation for this book. It has made me cry and reflect on myself and made me acknowledge such deep factors in my life that I felt that I was TJ Powar for a long time. This story is beautifully written and relates to all brown girls who have been shamed for their natural existence. And it hurts. So many people have been subjected to this treatment from society and the author provided us Desi girls with a fictional sense of comfort to take care of us after we've been wronged. Charlie is so sweet and the way he was written was so realistic, especially as he expresses how difficult it has been to exist with his speech disability. This book provides us with two main characters who have been harshly judged in their own ways, and how they stand against it by taking comfort in something as powerful as debate. It is a story of self-discovery, self-worth, and self-love and it was executed in the best way possible.

Overall, this book has made me even more emotionally vulnerable than I already was, but I wouldn't have it any other way. To all of my fellow brown girls who have been shamed for circumstances that we can't control: we are human, we are flawed, and we are still beautiful. This is a story that will stay with me for the rest of my life and I am truly grateful to have read such a realistic piece of fiction.

I am in so much tears that I don't know what to do with myself

-----------------------------------------
pre-review

oh my god

this book is everything that i could possibly want in a book with Indian representation and straying from the typical Eurocentric beauty standards, i can't wait to read it!! :)

[kashvi · Rating 5 out of 5]

thank you the author for sending me an arc that i won from her giveaway! 🤍

16.5.22
OH?? MY?? GOD?? this book was so amazing!!!

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Hair has no gender, darling. It’s just hair."

Rating- 3.25 stars.

Content/ Trigger Warnings- Body shaming, Bullying, Ableism, Sexism, Racism, Sexual content, Cursing, Transphobia, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Incest Mention

* the content warnings written in the book don't mention ableism (and some others), but it's quite present so please take care

Note- I have tried to include all the content warnings that I noticed, but there is no guarantee that I haven’t missed something.

T.J. Powar, a popular and pretty debater, like a lot of desi women, is hairy. She hides her all her body hair perfectly, with razors, shaving, and waxing appointments,- convenient, but expensive and painful means, all so the world doesn't have to see how hairy her body is.

But when she becomes a meme, pit against her cousin as the 'exception' of body hair, and her boyfriend starts shaming her for just existing as her hairy self, she vows to change things, and sets a debate resolution for herself.

'This House Believes That TJ Powar can be her hairy self, and still be beautiful.'

I had been anticipating TJ Powar since the time it was announced, happy to finally see some representation of woman, and specifically Indian and desi woman with body hair. I love YA as a genre and have read a lot of YA books, but I haven't ever come across one like this, a book that digs deep into body positivity, and what that really means.

Society has a standard for beauty, a standard you 'must' fit under, and if you don't, you are outcasted, shamed, judged. Picked apart, mocked, bullied, for something that is so out of your control. You must mold and shape yourself to fit in that box, a box of European beauty standards, one that often means white, thin, a skinny waist, big lips, and perfect teeth.

And most of us won't fit into that! Most of us never will! So we are told to try, told to change the aspects that we can. Wear some make-up, shave that body hair, turn yourself into someone you are not, all so that they can look at you - the version you present yourself to the world at least, and smile and say 'we accept you', when in reality they don't. They could not care less about you, about your life, about your feelings and thoughts, but they care about your looks, because that is what they are conditioned to do. What we all are conditioned to do.

"Because what they really mean is you can be hairy, but not too hairy. You can be fat, but only this fat. You can have flawed skin, but only by this much. Et cetera. And we call that revolutionary, but we’re still comparing everyone to the exact same ideals, only looser."

As a brown, queer, disabled person, society has often dictated what I am supposed to do, how I'm supposed to look, how I'm supposed to act. 'Don't limp while you walk!', 'Keep your chin up!', 'Smile even when you're in pain'. All things that mean 'Don't do it this because it reminds me of your difference, and I don't like that.' And I know that's not quite what this book is about, but I couln't help but think it through this lens as well.

There was a time where I used to hate myself for my body hair. A time where I used to compare my hairy legs to the shaved ones of my peers, and used to think that it was unfair, that I so much hair, when other people had less. A time where my moustache and unibrow made me uncomfortable, made me think I was less 'attractive' because of it. I don't feel that way now, but I look a lot like that girl on the cover, and I know a lot more people who look exactly like that. And this book is for us, its for all those girls and boys and children and woman and men and people who have ever felt like their body wasn't enough, for whatever reason, and cried themselves to sleep at night because and showed up the next day putting up a fake smile.

Just know that you are enough. You are valid. Your deepest fears and smallest of desires matter. Your thoughts and feelings are worth listening to. You have a voice that is worth being heard. You are loved, even if it may not feel like that now. And if you are reading this and thinking no one loves you, know that I do. Even if we're strangers. Even if we've never talked before. I love you just for existing, as you are.

"Her body is just that. A body. It lasts only a moment, but it’s magic."

Review written on 12th December, 2022.

Storygraph. Spotify. Youtube. Pinterest. Twitter. Instagram. Linktree.

DISCLAIMER-All opinions on books I’ve read and reviewed are my own, and are with no intention to offend anyone. If you feel offended by my reviews, let me know how I can fix it.

How I Rate-
1 star- Hardly liked anything/was disappointed
2 star- Had potential but did not deliver/was disappointed
3 stars- Was ok but could have been better/was average/Enjoyed a lot but something was missing
4 stars- Loved a lot but something was missing
5 stars- Loved it/new favourite

[janeee :D · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Sometimes, when I waxed my armpits, they’d even bleed.”

tj n i were one in the same cuz why when i got my armpits waxed yesterday i lifted my arm and there was blood everywhere 😟😟😟

but srsly . this one is for the hairy sa ( and sea for me ) girls 🧸🧸🧸

[prutha · Rating 4 out of 5]

read this review alongside others on my blog!

TJ Powar Has Something to Prove follows Tejindar Powar, a high school senior who has her life together—she’s pretty, popular, and, most importantly, a brilliant debater. When a picture of her and her debate partner, her cousin Simran, that was supposed to celebrate their win against the rival team gets turned into a hurtful meme, TJ decides to take a stand.

So she ditches her razors, blocks her beautician and sets a debate resolution for herself: “This House Believes that TJ Powar can be her hairy self and still be beautiful", in order to prove the people who made the meme wrong. TJ is tested in ways she didn’t know she could be, and along the way she realises the hardest person to convince is herself.

[…] “The world has these ludicrous expectations of how much hair a man or woman is supposed to have. Hardly anyone fits them naturally, but we feel the pressure to, don’t we? Some more than others.”

TJ was such an amazing MC to follow. Seeing her journey of self-discovery and the way her relationship with her body changed throughout the book honestly made me tear up a little bit. I related so much to her, to her thoughts about her body hair. It’s very sad how the standard for being attractive has always been Eurocentric, and I really appreciated how TJ challenged those standards realistically to be her true self.

Moreover, I also enjoyed seeing her passion for debate. I was instantly hooked on this book from the opening scene, where we are introduced to TJ’s love for debate, because it was so well written! It was so refreshing to see someone strive to do their best in a field that they were so fond of.

“People will try to make you feel good by saying everyone is beautiful, but what they really mean is written into all those empty beauty campaigns where they only ever show people who still fit the standard or are just a tiny bit deviant from it— just enough to still be acceptable. Maybe they’ve got body hair, but it’s only some peach fuzz and a bit of stubble under their arms. Maybe they’re plus-sized, but they still have the correct chest-to-waist-to-hips ratio. Maybe they’re going makeup-free, but their skin only has a few small imperfections to begin with. Then everybody pats themselves on the back because they’re so inclusive, wow, everyone is beautiful."

The various character dynamics seen throughout the book, whether they were familial, platonic, or romantic; felt so real and fresh.

The slow-burn rivals-to-lovers romance between TJ and her debate nemesis Charlie was SO well done. I kept yearning for more and more after each interaction between them. This book probably had the best execution of this trope.

After TJ quits shaving, she and her two best friends, Chandani and Piper, also have some challenges to work out. It was rather amusing to watch their friendship develop and alter. During this period, TJ makes a few new acquaintances as well, and I really enjoyed watching her mature and become a better person by the end of the book.

Another relationship that was engrossing for me to read was that between TJ and her cousin, Simran. Seeing them go from being distant to rekindling their childhood friendship and finding common ground outside of debate was very heart-warming.

“You can’t spend your life being afraid no one will love you if you are yourself. If you cannot be yourself with someone, that is not love. That is settling.”

The author’s writing felt raw and real. The way she wrote dialogue was perfect and in a way that represented the way teenagers conversed, without making it overly obnoxious or cringey.

This was honestly such a powerful read for me, especially because I am a hairy Indian girl and I have always hated the way my body looked. When I noticed how much hairier I was than my peers in sixth grade, I felt disgusted and not “pretty enough” and have been removing my body hair ever since. I wish I had had this book when I was younger and struggling with my body image, but I’m glad I had the chance to read it now, at a time when I’m still conscious of my appearance.

Although it’s going to take me some time to be confident in my skin, this book felt like a warm hug—one that made me feel like I wasn’t alone after all. It was probably the first book that made me feel like I could be loved, even when I was my true, hairy self.

Overall, this is a solid debut that is a deeply feminist deconstruction of beauty standards. I don’t think any review I try to write could do this book justice, not with all it has to unpack and all the themes it manages to excel at executing and all the unnameable ways it touched me. I hope my fellow desi girls read and resonate with this book as much as I did.

“Time isn’t the cure to timeless prejudices.”

Trigger Warnings: Body shaming (related to body hair), misogyny, sexism, cyberbullying, ableism, toxic relationship.

Representation: Punjabi-Canadian MC, Asian-Canadian trans male SC, Sikh SCs, Indian SCs

Thank you to Viking Books for Young Readers and Colored Pages Tours for sending me a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a spot on the TJ Powar Has Something to Prove Tour! This did not impact my review in any way.

All the quotes used in this post are from an advance reader copy and may differ in the final publication.

[nitya · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a hairy brown person this book is so freaking therapeutic and glorious 💖

Also I stayed up way too late finishing it, no regrets

Content warning: body shaming, bullying/harassment, ableism

[Meha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this book so so much and I cannot wait for the world to fall in love with it soon — hairy desi girls forever <3

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect book is perfect. I will be taking no questions at this time.

[Юлія Бернацька · Rating 5 out of 5]

UPD 01/10/2024: Випадково зайшла на сайт авторки і побачила, що продовження про Сімран та Раджана буде і планується на 2025 рік! 🎉🎉🎉

Чудова книжка, яку хочеться тепер бігати і всім рекомендувати, бо в неї незаслужено мало відгуків та оцінок тут, як на англомовний феміністичний ромком.

Здавалося б, у житті ТіДжей Повар все ідеально. Вона красива, розумна та атлетична, одна з найпопулярніших дівчат у школі, з хорошими друзями та чудовим хлопцем. У неї також є менш зрозуміле її оточенню захоплення дебатами. Разом зі своєю кузиною Сімран, ТіДжей виступає на шкільних конкурсах з дебатів. Саме після перемоги на одному з них, фото ТіДжей та Сімран зроблене для шкільної газети стає жорстоким мемом про "очікування" та "реальність" стосунків з індійською дівчиною, де Сімран, яка не видаляє волосся зі свого тіла, стає ілюстрацієї 'реальності'.

ТіДжей цей випадок дуже зачіпає і вона вирішує також припинити видаляти волосся зі свого тіла, щоб довести, що можна бути і натуральною, і красивою. От тільки все починає йти зовсім не за планом, а люди з її оточення починають розкриватися зовсім з неочікуваних боків.

Мені дуже сподобалися всі теми розкриті в цій книжці, а найбільше мені сподобалося, що авторка не вдавала, що для цих питань існують прості відповіді, універсальні для всіх. Мене не змушували почуватися поганою феміністкою, бо у мене в голові досі також є цей блок, що забагато волосся на тілі це некрасиво. Ця книжка не вилікує вас від цього блоку, але запропонує багато над чим подумати. Враховуючи, що тема дебатів є однією з основних в цій історії, її було дуже гарно використано для подання аргументів за та проти для кожної з тез, що тут розглядалися. Написано справді розумно, помітно, що авторка багато роздумувала на цю тему, а не просто використала цю тему як фон для чергової романтичної історії.

До речі, про романтику. Ця книжка однозначно для всіх, хто любить Деві та Бена з серіалу "Я ніколи не...". Я власне через це на неї й повелася і залишилася дуже задоволена. Любовна лінія aka якась змістовна взаємодія між ТіДжей та Чарлі змушує себе трохи зачекати, але коли вона нарешті починається, то цілком варта очікування. Ну що тут сказати, я готова харчуватися тропом academic rivals to lovers, а коли персонажі ще й гарно прописані то це взагалі джек-пот. Авторка дуже добре показувала нам, "чому зараз герої не можуть бути разом?" на багатьох етапах книжки і це було переконливо та логічно, але драматична напруга від цього зовсім не страждала.

Ще у цій книжці чудові другорядні персонажі та загалом прекрасно прописані стосунки помимо головної пари. За стосунки ТіДжей та Сімран я переживала мало не більше, ніж за ТіДжей та Чарлі. Трикутник ТіДжей-Чандані-Пайпер також змушував мене переживати за стосунки кожної з його сторін. ТіДжей та Нейт були неочікувано дуже кумедні у всіх своїх нечисленних взаємодіях. Вони завжди змушували мене посміхатися своєю динамікою. Здається слово frenemies придумали саме для них. Але всі ці чудові персонажі блякнуть на фоні короля мого серця - Раджана.

Раджан - в усій його накуреній велечі з'являється всього декілька разів, щоб трохи порухати сюжет, пофілосовствувати та декілька разів вкинути якісь загадкові коментарі над якими ТіДжей потім днями ламає голову. У Раджана вайби кота, який гріється на сонечку і якому немає до вас діла, хіба що ви йому подобаєтеся або йому раптом нудно. Чарлі, звісно, головний любовний інтерес у цій книжці і він мені дуже сподобався, але серце моє вкрав Раджан. І навіть не питайте мене як я почуваюся через той делікатний та дуже щирий зв'язок між Сімран та Раджаном. Я їх шиперила всю книжку і оскільки авторка не зробила їх каноном, але вибудувала такий прекрасний фундамент (їхня остання сцена мене мало не вбила по-хорошому), то я тепер хочу продовження про Сімран та Раджана.

Одним словом, книжку дуже рекомендую. Тут симпатичні та живі герої, які поводяться адекватно; в цій історії є ідея, яку авторка хотіла розкрити що, як на мене, їй вдалося зробити; і все це посипано чудовою любовною лінією, яка перепліталася з головною ідеєю книжки. Хіба ж вам таке не треба?

А якщо дочитаєте цю і захочете ще щось таке ж хороше, то спробуйте також "Not Here To Be Liked" Michelle Quach.

Буду чекати на нові книжки цієї авторки, бо дебютний роман однозначно вдався.

[⛅ Sunny (sunnysidereviews) ⛅]

I'm obsessed with this concept! Wish I had the book when was growing up!

[humna حمنہ (j. lynch's version) · Rating 5 out of 5]

HELLO?? IN LOVE. there are so many things about this that I loved like HELLO THE DEBATE NERD RIVALRY ? THE REALISM? THE ROMANCE?????? THE PROSE???? THE FRIENDSHIP????? EVERYTHING???? I don't think I've ever spent a whole day savouring every single word in any book. And the debates were engaging and so so intriguing. AHHH an awesome debut.

[Dr. Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I loved this one so much!! Such a great message.

TJ Powar has Something to Prove follows senior high schooler, Tejindar Powar. When she and her cousin, Simran, become the subject of a hurtful meme, TJ decides to take a stand. She ditches her razors and other hair removal products. She sets a debate resolution for herself: "This House Believes that TJ Powar can be her hairy self and still be beautiful". TJ is tested in ways she didn't know she could be and along the way she realizes the hardest person to convince is herself.

Y'all this book! This was so damn powerful. My own relationship to body hair and gender aside, this book has amazing social commentary on the way that women's bodies (and people perceived as women) are judged. There was one conversation in particular between TJ and her aesthetician that really got me.

"Women, men, nonbinary folks -- of all racial backgrounds, all facing different kinds of expectations -- all having different things they actually want. Here, they can design themselves how they like -- whether to be fitting into society's own standards or their own. ... the world has these ludicrous expectations of how much hair a man or woman is supposed to have. Hardly anyone fits them naturally, but we feel the pressure to, don't we? Some more than others."

I really loved TJ's journey of self-discovery and of how her relationship to her body changed throughout this book. It was so easy to relate to her feelings about her hair, I've had so many of these same thoughts, and it's only been in the last couple years I've started to challenge my own internal biases about hair. I really loved seeing TJ go on this journey. Plus, all of this is set against a huge debate contest and I have found I absolutely love reading debate contests.

"Hair has no gender, darling. It's just hair. Do what you want with it, but it does not make you less of a woman. It does not make you less interesting, less worthy, or less deserving of desire."

TJ also has a very fun rivals to lovers arc with her debate nemesis Charlie Rozencratz. Charlie is literally the sweetest boy ever. As the two spend more time together, Charlie attempts to help TJ with her resolution. He even lets her wax one of his legs. Oh my god, that scene was so funny. I loved seeing these two become friends. Their banter was so much fun. We also learn that Charlie has a stutter. Seeing TJ immediately find ways to accommodate him, made my heart soft.

"Do you think you're the first person to come into my business afraid their partner won't like the way they look? I always tell them the same thing: I can sell you smooth legs, or coochie, or face. Whatever you like. But I don't sell lies. You can't spend your life being afraid no one will love you if you are yourself. If you cannot be yourself with someone, that is not love. That is settling."

Besides the big debate contest and the relationship that develops between TJ and Charlie, there are a bunch of other things she's going through. TJ and her cousin, Simran, who was the other target of the meme, have a distant relationship. We see TJ begin to open up to Simran in the hopes of rekindling their childhood friendship. I loved seeing these two find common ground again, outside of debate. TJ and her two friends, Chandani and Piper, also have some issues to work through after TJ stops shaving. It was so interesting to see how their relationship changed and grew. TJ also makes some new friends during this time and I just really loved seeing her grow into herself and become a better person.

Overall, I loved this book with my whole heart. I wish I had something like this when I was younger and dealing with all the ways society pressures people like me to feel about their bodies. I cannot recommend this book enough!

Rep: Desi Punjabi Indian-Canadian cishet MC, Jewish Canadian cishet male side character, Asian-Canadian trans male side character, Sikh Desi Punjabi Indian-Candia cis female side character, fat cis female side character, various other Indian-Canadian side characters (some Sikh and some not).

CWs: body shaming (specific to body hair), fatphobia, misogyny, sexism, bullying (mainly online harassment), toxic relationship (romantic), ableism. Moderate: side character discusses dysphoria, racism, sexual content, abandonment.

[Jassmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This House Believes That TJ Powar can be her hairy self and still be beautiful.

This is going to be personal review, so... you know, you have been warned so don't complain later.

I have read this mainly for two reasons: this book made it to one of my friend's list of best books she read in 2023 (thank you for the rec @Ashley!) and I stopped shaving completely about a half a year ago now, so... you could say that the topic of the book is somewhat personal.

I read the first chapter of this few weeks ago before actually starting the book in earnest and it didn't grab me at all. I set it aside and picked it up because I was having a lot of stressful and scary books on my currently currently-reading shelf and I needed a book to read in bed. You know, something cozy and not too grabbing, so I can get some sleep. Well, although this book managed to last me a bit longer than most of my romances, it really backfired. You could say that it grabbed me since I ended up going to bed at 8 in the evening yesterday just so I had an excuse to read it and finished it after 1... Oh, well...

I was debating with myself if this is a five-star read since I didn't feel... like completely taken away with it, but didn't actually have much of any specific complaints. It did feel a little slow in places and some of the stretches about debate were a bit too long for me - which is for subjective reasons (1. public speaking is giving me anxiety, I can do it, but who would do it for fun?! So I couldn't really relate and those parts of the book made me a bit stressed. 2. There are some feminist criticisms that could be made against the values debate is based on, but I think this review is going to turn ginormous anyway, so maybe we could skip this bit?) In the end this book deserves the five stars just for the message and the thoughtful handling of the topic - as someone who isn't shaving for some time (although my experience is different in some ways which we'll get to eventually), this book is extremely realistic. The relisations, the stages TJ goes through, the feelings, it's just... you can tell that Jesmeen Kaur Deo is writing from an experience and I honestly can't believe that this book is her debut. This is a book my younger-self needed hence the five stars.

This book contains so much that I feel myself a little unsure about what I actually want to discuss. Let's talk about the romance, because I always want to talk about the romance and I felt this one in my body. I mean, listen to this:

Her eyes travel back to his. She likes what she sees in his gaze. It's not the way Liam ever looked at her, like he couldn't help himself because she was hot. Charlie doesn't look at her like she's hot. He looks at her like he thinks she's weird, and he likes it. A lot.

*swoons* Seriously, he let's her wax his legs to understand her better!

In true Charlie fashion, Charlie takes the suggestion to wax his legs with enthusiasm.

I'm just... okay, enough quotes!
There could be an argument made that there is too much miscommunication and low self-esteem in the romance which slows things down. And every other time I would agree but with the situation TJ was in, it made perfect sense and was actually quite realistic. I mean, being okay with your body-hair yourself is an entirely different thing than trusting someone else to like it too. I don't date for a lot of reasons, but one of them definitely is that I'm not ready to be confronted about my body-hair yet. Because it's a thing I would compromise on, but I don't want to. Same as TJ I want to be loved the way I am. Body hair shouldn't matter - but it does.

Another thing that needs to be mentioned are the other relationships in this book, the friendships are amazing, realistic and I loved the focus and space the book devoted to that. One could even argue that TJ's relationship with Simran is the central relationship of the book, not the romantic one with Charlie. And you know, I'm into that. There are also some relationships that had clearly been broken, some of them with some hope of saving, some of them not. I really loved this part, because it resonated deeply with me:

"Because he was my best friend," he retorts, finally looking up to glare at her. "He's in every childhood memory I have. But he-he-he-he changed, and I didn't know how to let him go."

Okay, with everything else out of the way, let's talk about the core of this book! About the hair! I'm honestly a little unsure about how to approach this...

I think first thing that's really important and that I didn't fully get from the blurb (even though it's definitely there, I just didn't re-read it before starting the book) is that TJ isn't really taking stand for Simran (her hairy cousin), this isn't a story of popular girl saving her "looser" relative. The book is pretty clear from the beginning about this being TJ's issue that needs to be solved. Don't get me wrong, she's enraged on Simran's behalf, but her decision is about her. And I thought that was excellent.

"Fine. I was just trying to check in on you, but I guess I'm not welcome."
Simran exhales slowly. "I didn't say that. I'm just tired of you trying to work out your own issues on me."
"What?" TJ snaps. "I don't even know what you are talking about."

This is kind of brilliant, because a more aware reader will realise what Simran is talking about, but it makes sense TJ doesn't see it.
I also really loved that the narrative asserts that Liam was TJ's friend long before they started dating. Which is why his rejection stings so much. Honestly, I was so ready to murder him. I think I was less triggered than TJ by what he did/said, because shaving "down there" isn't as common where I live (there are less assumptions about this than in U.S.), so I felt his reaction was even more over the line. Scumbag! I was ready to kill him multiple times in the book... even if it's clear that his behavior is also stemming out from a systematic problem...

The way this book talks about body hair is really complex and... I guess, now it's the time to share some of the personal bits. My hair is naturally lighter brown and I'm a white girl, so I guess my body hair isn't really comparable to TJ's. I mean, the hair on my arms was never a problem since they are blond and honestly I love them - don't get me wrong, my arms are super hairy, but you can't really tell from a distance and I think they are cute. I was a bit conscious about them in high-school and I shaved my arms a few times, but honestly it was almost nothing to overcome.

I was never bullied over my body hair as TJ was, but I was laughed at and shamed, without really been given the explanation by a few people, including my best friend at the time (we are talking about high school, beginning of puberty here). The main issue was that I wasn't shaving my arm-pit hair regularly enough because honestly, I was kind of trying to ignore that puberty was happening to me at the time. And it's something that I'm still working through and I'm angry about that. It made me very conscious and anxious about my body hair in the following years. To be fair, I don't think I ever hated my hair myself, but it was something I was ashamed of and didn't want other people to see (I guess this is where ethnicity and a different amount of hairs comes to play). Shaving my legs was something that made me confident and feeling better about myself, but looking back... it also did mean that I felt really shitty when I was caught of guard not "put together". I don't think I'm alone in those feelings, but that's kind of the point.

Those of you who know me, might know that I'm currently studying Gender Studies which really offered me the safe space to experiment with a lot of my personal choices. One of my closest friends stopped shaving and I found myself having a lot of personal feelings about that, but my prevalent impression was the joy it brought her. She was genuinely happy with exploring her body and I was kind of envious of that, because I couldn't see myself doing that. Fastforward a few months, to the beginning of the summer, one of the other friends joked about making a pact about not shaving. I didn't say anything at the time, but as usual I took it quite literally and stopped shaving, telling myself that if I start feeling uncomfortable, I'm allowed to shave. I didn't since. I realized that I actually quite love my arm pit hair - but I'm still having trouble letting people to see it.

Back to the book, this is why I so admired TJ when she was so confident with her arm-pit hair, honestly... wow, I was unsure if this was realistic since her character has way more baggage than me and I still can't manage be that... flagrant after half a year, but I guess, she really is brave. I loved TJ as a MC and... okay, I know this phrase is kind of problematic, but... I think she's inspirational and I'm so happy that young girls can be reading about her now (I really wish this book was translated to Czech, but I suspect that won't happen...).

Also, capitalism!

They tell us we have to do it, because they need us to feel like shit about ourselves to make money. And we just listen to them." TJ can feel herself getting angry. "But you know what? I'm done buying into corporate bullshit."

Another thing that I really appreciated about the depiction of body-hair was the peer/family pressure. I was lucky that my family didn't pressure me into anything, but the portrayal of family concern and "helpful" advice definitely struck the chord and showed how ingrained the issue really was.

"Leave her alone, sweetheart." He gives TJ a thumbs-up. "I think you look great."
TJ beams. Finally, support from somewhere. Even if it's from the man wearing his shirt inside out.

And there were just so many interesting points overall, like the issue really being that we see the hairs as unfeminine. I noticed this about myself recently - there are outfits where being hairy is so much less of an issue (masculine coded outfits) and then there are others where it feels really out of place (pretty dresses for example). But the book doesn't stop there, it also interviews the concept of beauty itself and why are we finding it so important and I thought it was great. I wasn't 100% on board with everything - just because I think there is a difference between conventional beauty and beauty that is subjective and that can be seen in anything. But definitely, this book describes a journey of one teenage girl and therefore it makes sense that it stops somewhere. It doesn't pretend to give you the answers to everything.

I also wanted to appreciate that even though this isn't the focus, the book does mention trans* people repeatedly. It doesn't feel completely natural every time, but the thing is - body hair is essential topic for trans* folks too, so I appreciated the thought. Also, at the end of the book we discover that one of the important side characters is trans. I had a bit complicated feelings about this for a minute, before I decided I loved it. It's not that the person came out as trans. They were their true self on page the whole time and it was just never questioned and probably even invisible for a lot of the characters - which is how it is for a big portion of people who transition on the binary (meaning trans women and trans men). So it felt realistic, although it made me wish I knew before... it's kind of making me want to re-read the book now. Which means I should probably get a physical copy...


Okay, if you read this whole messy review, you are incredible. Why would you even do that?! 🤭 If it's not clear I would recommend this book. I was so pleasantly surprised by this, I don't really read much of YA anymore and this was great, I feel even people who don't usually enjoy YA might like this (that is, if the topic and genre is interesting to you). In a way my emotional response really reminded me to the way I responded to Chlorine, those books really speak to the teen part of me it seems... (They are completely different though! Don't see this as me saying that if you liked TJ Powar you should read Chlorine, because you'll love it! Like, you might, because the books do something similar, but seriously, no...)

Okay, I derailed the review once more, this was great! Love TJ! Love Charlie! Love, love, love! Read the book, if it sounds good to you, it delivers on it's promises!

P.S. I googled "Kelowna" and I want to visit now! Why does Canadian landscape always look so good?!

Bonus if you made it this far:

"Yeah. I'm sorry to cut this short."
Then he pulls an actual tie out of his bag and drapes it over his shoulders. She would make fun of him for having an emergency tie, but she's too riveted by his deft fingers. He stares into space as he smoothly waves a Windsor knot. She looks away and wishes the librarian would turn down the thermostat.

[Kassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was not a single page of TJ Powar Has Something to Prove that I didn’t love. This book is a deeply feminist deconstruction of beauty standards AND a swoon-worthy academic rivals-to-lovers romance. Who could ask for more?

[Anvita (anvitascorner) · Rating 5 out of 5]

i’ve forgotten every book ive ever read because i’m convinced this is my fav book of the year (or fav book ever??) loved every single word of it

[sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is everything I have ever wanted in my life and more. one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it is safe to say it is one of my favorites of 2022. the sleep deprivation I will feel tmrw is so worth it.

TJ Powar was witty, imperfect, strong-willed, and brave. her journey to come to terms with hairiness on herself and others was extremely relatable. the struggle to challenge beauty standards that are unrealistic and driven by capitalism is such a current issue and I love that the author included parts about performative action about inclusivity surround body hair and other (very human) insecurities. as we continue to dismantle such systems through understanding the deep roots of racism and sexism within the beauty industry, like TJ, we also must realize that these values are instilled in the small crevices of the minds of everyone around us, including ourselves. a book like this is a love letter to every person self-conscious and embarrassed about something *every person has*. I love you TJ, thank you for being an unapologetic bad b*tch for speaking your mind (and for sometimes just being mean). thank you for helping me convince myself to love and respect myself a little more

and the romance? don’t get me started. a well written academic rivals-to lovers trope will never cease to amaze me. I. want. what. they. have. the butterflies? the mutual longing? the heated debates? the small, very specific details they only seem to notice in each other??? omfg they were so cute. while they both had missteps and miscommunications, I think it was all decently realistic. one of the best tropes ever, and executed to perfection by one Jesmeen Kaur Deo.

thank you so much for this book Ms. Deo <3

[Shay Tibbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was something so refreshingly fierce and female about this contemporary YA that made it a powerful read. This book is for all the young adults who have felt the pressure to fit in, that have been made to feel like they have to hide the things they love most, who struggle to feel seen even by those closest to them.

So much of this book was unlike any other I'd read in this or any genre, and I hope to see many more like it in the future! What I loved most was the witty banter, from how the characters used their words to rise to the occasion when competing, to the behind the scene moments of the debate teams that were so important to the storyline. Beautiful, bold, and brainy, TJ will have you cheering her on in no time as Kaur Deo places us right into the heart and pressures of a busy high schooler looking ahead to the future and trying to manage it all with classes, activities, family and friends.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for the ARC copy to read and review, it was such a powerful read about the pressure of popularity and conforming to the normal and I loved reading about TJ's determination and growth as she finds her best self.

[adey౨ৎ {not too active} · Rating 3 out of 5]

**2.75 stars

this book... I don't even know what to say. I filmed my thoughts on this so im gonna refer back to them, so don't mind if this review is all over the place/ doesn't make any sense. We should have learnt to expect that from me by now 🧍

From the looks of it, I really enjoyed it in the beginning, but then it quickly went down hill for me. I thought it was fast paced (enough) and read easily for me. I also really liked the representation in this book, like i'm always going to at least somewhat enjoy a book with a poc main character.

ALSOOO this book was advertised for fans of "never have I ever" , and as a Team Ben girly, I approve. (I do have more negative things to say about the romance though so don't be fooled )

To begin with, the main plot of this book was our main character not shaving to prove a point. And this plot point was so convoluted and boring, IM SORRY. I didn't understand it at all. She didn't prove a point to me, and all she did was whine. The main character sabotages herself so much. LIKE AHH. I know body hair positivity is a massive problem for massive groups of people, but the book felt too serious for the plot it was trying to convey.

Now the romance. DO NOT GET ME STARTED. For one, during the first 20% I didn't even know who the love interest was, in a romance (which wasn't a love triangle btw), why am I confused on the love interest?? Then, there was NO banter or tension. Argue with the wall. I could not tell you why these characters like eachother, and the progression from academic rivals to lovers, was so unnatural. It lowkey felt like a fake scenario, where you are trying to have a slow burn but then the characters start making out, so you take it back to the start and repeat the cycle. I was so frustrated. On the plus, I did actually like Charlie, he was mature and TJ didn't deserve him. TJ needs to get sent to like a mountain or some shit and reflect on her jarring personality.

anyways, I know this review was pretty negative but I did actually kinda like this book. I would recommend it, but it just MASSIVELY got on my nerves.

[Heather ~*dread mushrooms*~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Contemporary YA is usually not my jam, but the comparison to Never Have I Ever, one of my favorite shows, was impossible to resist. Also, I'm pretty much always up for a good body hair discussion (read: badgering people about why they think body hair on women in particular is gross). I'd actually planned to use my review as an opportunity to rant about people's perceptions of body hair--and trust me, I have plenty to say about the subject--but the author did such a good job with it and the book left me feeling good, and now I no longer want to rant.

This definitely did remind me of Never Have I Ever, except without the comedy or a love triangle. I was a little iffy on the book being centered around debate, because it was kind of awkward to read about people debating at first, and the opening felt kind of rocky because of it. But I warmed to the book quickly, and I liked the characters. The romance was sweet. I'll definitely read another book by this author.

[Toshita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never had a book reach out to me and give me hug. That's exactly what this book did. I don't even know how to express the journey.

Actually you know what I have one word to describe this book: EXCELLENT

Also this book is required reading for every Indian girl, every hairy girl, for all girls in general and just for everyone in the world.

[max · Rating 5 out of 5]

i know me giving out five stars probably holds as much worth as your mother telling you you are special, but she’s right and don’t you ever forget it for just one second.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

waited wayyyyy too long to read this one..

literally so good

[Jos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing debut by a Canadian author.

This hit everything I need to have in a YA. The teenagers felt realistic, the body shaming was present but didn't feel overly excessive and extra dramatized, and the love interest was actually a decent human being that did not dilute the main story.

The pacing was on point and while there were some large time jumps through out the story, I don't think I would have cared to read some filler in between just to slow down the time jump.

A big part of this novel is based on miscommunication and misinterpretation. While I am not a fan of these plots, I did appreciate that the reason for miscommunication was explained and actually was the most realistic scenario of miscommunication I have ever read (not just something said incorrectly then dramatic storming away for once!).

I highly recommend if you are a fan of contemporary YA's. This is certainly a gem that I am happy to have given a chance. I will note this book is not sapphic. There is some queer rep but TJ seems to be straight. While I did find the body shaming to not be too bad, it is still present in addition to the effect the shaming had on the main character. Please take care of yourself first!