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Who I Am
Discovering who you are is the hardest part of growing up.
Devin Kelly is an Air Force brat, band nerd, bookworm, and loner. After the untimely death of her father, she and her mother move to Los Angeles to start a new life. Devin is welcomed to her new school by an arrogant bully named Jason who promises to make the rest of her senior year miserable.
Things turn around, however, when a beautiful and intelligent young woman named Melanie Parker, who happens to be Jason’s sister, comes to her rescue. As the relationship between Devin and Melanie grows, Devin finds herself becoming more and more drawn to her new friend’s vivacious spirit. It’s not until an unpleasant confrontation with Jason that Devin must admit to herself that her feelings for Melanie are far more than platonic.
Devin Kelly is an Air Force brat, band nerd, bookworm, and loner. After the untimely death of her father, she and her mother move to Los Angeles to start a new life. Devin is welcomed to her new school by an arrogant bully named Jason who promises to make the rest of her senior year miserable.
Things turn around, however, when a beautiful and intelligent young woman named Melanie Parker, who happens to be Jason’s sister, comes to her rescue. As the relationship between Devin and Melanie grows, Devin finds herself becoming more and more drawn to her new friend’s vivacious spirit. It’s not until an unpleasant confrontation with Jason that Devin must admit to herself that her feelings for Melanie are far more than platonic.
264 pages, Paperback
First published April 12, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
May 18, 2024
Devin is starting her senior year at a new high school after the death of her military father, so it's just her mum and her doing it tough in LA. First day at her new school she becomes the victim of a severe male bully, but is somewhat rescued by Melanie, who happens to be the bully Jason's twin sister.
This beautiful story was sometime hard to read with the severe issues in Melanie's family, especially when her friendship with Melanie becomes more. I enjoyed this fraught story with some wonderful supportive characters to counteract the bad. Well done.
This beautiful story was sometime hard to read with the severe issues in Melanie's family, especially when her friendship with Melanie becomes more. I enjoyed this fraught story with some wonderful supportive characters to counteract the bad. Well done.
January 29, 2015
2.5
This read like a predictable teen fanfiction. It suffers from a cruel lack of originality: from the characters' personality, to the way they met, the way their friendship blossoms and turns into love, and the repercussions of their coming out.
I don't particularly hate predictable stories, but the writing of Who I Am didn't help.
- Typical 1st person narrative problem: it was almost impossible to know what was going on in Melanie's mind. It's like we are missing out on half of the story.
- The transition between friendship and romantic relationship is extremely brutal. This story is really long, yet it fails to give the reader a good build-up (No chemistry, no intimate moments, no "looks", no "touches" led us to believe that what they shared was love) . As a result, when they finally get together, it's not as explosive as we'd like.
- The dialogues are rare, which prevents us from getting a real idea of what the girls are like when they're together.
- Moments are depicted very superficially and in a rush, as if the writer didn't have the patience to delve deeper into what could have been relevant scenes. There is a frustrating lack of emotional layer in the story, and mostly because of this. Essential parts of the story are left out or drowned in enumerations of other stuff, usually in very boring and long descriptions. We don't even get to read about their first time together. I'm not a pervert but to me that's an essential part of letting go, trusting and loving someone. The reader is left with something like "we discovered each other's body" instantly followed by "the next day I woke up". Same with a lot of other important moments in friendships and relationships.
- Not many interesting supporting characters...
Not the read of the year. BUT i did finish the book, so it was good enough to make me want to know the ending. Melanie has a very sweet and charming personality, and Dev is cute. That's something.
This read like a predictable teen fanfiction. It suffers from a cruel lack of originality: from the characters' personality, to the way they met, the way their friendship blossoms and turns into love, and the repercussions of their coming out.
I don't particularly hate predictable stories, but the writing of Who I Am didn't help.
- Typical 1st person narrative problem: it was almost impossible to know what was going on in Melanie's mind. It's like we are missing out on half of the story.
- The transition between friendship and romantic relationship is extremely brutal. This story is really long, yet it fails to give the reader a good build-up (No chemistry, no intimate moments, no "looks", no "touches" led us to believe that what they shared was love) . As a result, when they finally get together, it's not as explosive as we'd like.
- The dialogues are rare, which prevents us from getting a real idea of what the girls are like when they're together.
- Moments are depicted very superficially and in a rush, as if the writer didn't have the patience to delve deeper into what could have been relevant scenes. There is a frustrating lack of emotional layer in the story, and mostly because of this. Essential parts of the story are left out or drowned in enumerations of other stuff, usually in very boring and long descriptions. We don't even get to read about their first time together. I'm not a pervert but to me that's an essential part of letting go, trusting and loving someone. The reader is left with something like "we discovered each other's body" instantly followed by "the next day I woke up". Same with a lot of other important moments in friendships and relationships.
- Not many interesting supporting characters...
Not the read of the year. BUT i did finish the book, so it was good enough to make me want to know the ending. Melanie has a very sweet and charming personality, and Dev is cute. That's something.
April 19, 2011
Simply put, I loved this book. This debut young adult novel by M. L. Rice lovingly captures the emotionally charged process of falling in love for the first time, and the mental roller coaster ride that accompanies such an experience. The author also does an excellent job of expressing the oftentimes terrifying process of coming out to friends and family and dealing with both positive and negative reactions in the wake of that revelation.
I would (and have) recommend this book to all of my friends and family, to anyone who has ever felt like an outsider trying to find their place in a world supposedly ruled by "the cool people", and especially to anyone who was ever in the band.
I would (and have) recommend this book to all of my friends and family, to anyone who has ever felt like an outsider trying to find their place in a world supposedly ruled by "the cool people", and especially to anyone who was ever in the band.
August 3, 2012
This book was a short but sweet read. It was just so cute and touching. It shows the reality of what it can be like to be gay and trying to find your self during that time. This book really got to me because I could relate to it. The confusion and fear of not only coming out to your self but to family and friends. But mostly, the relationship between the two girls. I suggest anyone who is in the process of finding who they are, read this.
August 4, 2016
There are few things worse as a kid than being a military brat. Devin's been moved around the country and the world because of her father's Air Force career. She's never really had any friends that last longer than the next move. However, all that ends when her father passes away and she moves to Los Angeles with her mother to be closer to her mother's family. On her first day of school she meets Jason, who trashes her the second he sees her, and his sister Melanie, who is the exact opposite of Jason. Devin and Melanie become fast best friends, but Jason's threats don't stop. However, Melanie and Devin are not going to let anything get in the way of their friendship - which turns into so much more.
Ms. Rice has written a beautiful YA novel which deals with high-school pressures, bullies, coming out to friends and family, and the overwhelming feelings of falling in love for the first time. Devin is a funny and engaging character and you really feel her happiness, pain, sorrow, and love (and the thousand other emotions teenagers go through in the span of 10 minutes). Ms. Rice has an excellent way of showing the scary and thrilling experiences and feelings of coming out, as well as dealing with both the positive and negative reactions a person can receive upon doing so. A great book for teenagers (and adults alike)!
Ms. Rice has written a beautiful YA novel which deals with high-school pressures, bullies, coming out to friends and family, and the overwhelming feelings of falling in love for the first time. Devin is a funny and engaging character and you really feel her happiness, pain, sorrow, and love (and the thousand other emotions teenagers go through in the span of 10 minutes). Ms. Rice has an excellent way of showing the scary and thrilling experiences and feelings of coming out, as well as dealing with both the positive and negative reactions a person can receive upon doing so. A great book for teenagers (and adults alike)!
December 7, 2011
In truth, I do not read much in the young adult section of bookstores. However, having teenage nieces, I find myself seeking out a good read to help them with any future “teenage” situations they might encounter. Who I Am was an amazing choice. It takes the trials and tribulations of a young girl having the feeling of her first love, facing adversity, and life choices to new heights. It was nice to take the experiences of Devin’s life and see how any teenager, or adult for that matter, can take her lessons and apply them to their own lives. Whether it be coming out to a best friend, being that best friend, having your heart broken for the first time, or that bully we all faced that made us feel shame or embarrassment, M. L. Rice takes the reader into the heart and soul of Devin, her friends, and her journey. I can only hope that it will be a journey that helps many young adults for years to come. I cried, I laughed, and it left me with cold chills. Beautiful.
April 5, 2011
This is an excellent first novel by M.L. Rice. The coming out story never grows old, and this author does a wonderful job with the very difficult task of writing it in first person. The story is filled with teen angst and innocence that makes you want to groan when they step into the predictable pitfalls and cheer for them as they work their way through the barriers to adulthood and a relationship. Marketed by Bold Strokes Books as a Young Adult title, this book is a great read for any age.
February 22, 2015
The story was nice. I liked Dev and Mel too. I loved how Esmy cared so much for both of them.
I just feel like I missed some parts of the story because it was all in Dev's POV. Oh well, the title's Who I Am, I should've expected the single POV thing but an Epilogue by Mel would've been nice. :D 3.5 stars.
I just feel like I missed some parts of the story because it was all in Dev's POV. Oh well, the title's Who I Am, I should've expected the single POV thing but an Epilogue by Mel would've been nice. :D 3.5 stars.
August 6, 2012
Wow! I read this in two days. It is a book that is hard to put Dow...a YA novel with characters you care about. This coming out tale is highly recommended!
Read
August 4, 2015Never get passed chapter 2.
May 16, 2026
You know those evenings when you're curled up with your Kindle, scrolling aimlessly because nothing quite calls to you? That was exactly where I found myself when I stumbled upon Who I Am by ML Rice. It had that quiet, unassuming quality of a book that isn't shouting for your attention and those, in my experience, are often the ones that end up meaning the most.
The story centres on Devin, a military kid and a bookworm, honestly, already my kind of character. After losing her father, Devin and her mum pick up and move to the city, the kind of upheaval that would knock anyone sideways. It's there that she meets Melanie Parker, and the two of them click instantly in that lovely, easy way that feels completely real. Best friends from the off. There's just one complication: Mel's twin brother Jason, who makes it his mission from day one to make Devin's school life miserable.
What unfolds over the course of the novel is a coming-of-age story with real teeth to it. Devin and Mel's friendship quietly and naturally deepens into something more, and then everything is thrown into crisis when Jason raised in a home steeped in homophobia discovers the truth. What he does next is shocking and brutal, and the consequences fall on both girls in ways that'll sit with you long after the last page.
What I loved most, and I want to really highlight this, is how the F/F relationship is handled. It never once feels like a selling point or a box ticked, it simply feels like life. I was chatting with a friend recently about exactly this: how some books have started leading with their MM or FF content as the headline act, and in doing so, something gets lost. The love feels manufactured rather than felt. Rice doesn't do that. The romance between Devin and Mel grows the way real feelings do slowly, quietly, and completely believably.
If you're looking for a hidden gem with heart, grit, and an F/F love story that earns every moment, Who I Am absolutely deserves a spot on your reading list. A lovely find from a late-night Kindle scroll and those are always the best kind.
The story centres on Devin, a military kid and a bookworm, honestly, already my kind of character. After losing her father, Devin and her mum pick up and move to the city, the kind of upheaval that would knock anyone sideways. It's there that she meets Melanie Parker, and the two of them click instantly in that lovely, easy way that feels completely real. Best friends from the off. There's just one complication: Mel's twin brother Jason, who makes it his mission from day one to make Devin's school life miserable.
What unfolds over the course of the novel is a coming-of-age story with real teeth to it. Devin and Mel's friendship quietly and naturally deepens into something more, and then everything is thrown into crisis when Jason raised in a home steeped in homophobia discovers the truth. What he does next is shocking and brutal, and the consequences fall on both girls in ways that'll sit with you long after the last page.
What I loved most, and I want to really highlight this, is how the F/F relationship is handled. It never once feels like a selling point or a box ticked, it simply feels like life. I was chatting with a friend recently about exactly this: how some books have started leading with their MM or FF content as the headline act, and in doing so, something gets lost. The love feels manufactured rather than felt. Rice doesn't do that. The romance between Devin and Mel grows the way real feelings do slowly, quietly, and completely believably.
If you're looking for a hidden gem with heart, grit, and an F/F love story that earns every moment, Who I Am absolutely deserves a spot on your reading list. A lovely find from a late-night Kindle scroll and those are always the best kind.
May 18, 2026
I love this book so much, not only because it's very realistic to how most teenagers actually act and how they process things (speaking from personal experience). I had fun reading this because I actually relate to the main character. :D
January 13, 2018
Nice little story with a satisfying ending but it was kinda difficult to really feel anything for the two protagonists.
January 26, 2019
This is an interesting coming-of-age story. I liked it.
June 27, 2021
MVP: Esmy.
July 30, 2026
not great. pacing was all over the place - too fast then too slow. i never felt any improvement and if this book was longer i would DNF it.
March 21, 2013
Beautiful book, written exquisitely. The story of a girl discovering her identity and trying to cope with balancing a friendship, her sexual identity, and her love. Add in that her best friend has a drug-abusive asshole twin brother who is dedicated to making sure that the protagonist has nothing to do with "corrupting" his sister and you've got the making of an oddly engaging and endearing story, despite summaries reading like trope abuse.
My only real complaints with this book were that the pacing in the latter sections of the book felt too abrupt, and that overall I would have liked to have seen more of the characters (meaning, more book). But most of the characters are well fleshed out - even if seeming to be only incidental characters - and the story was, for this reader, a pageturner that kept me up half the night.
Obligatory follow-up to that last line - there is no erotic content, though there are moments that feel almost explicitly erotic due to the craftsmanship of the author. For instance, the Matterhorn ride is described in such a way as to make it tantalizingly sensual, without any explicit material.
My only real complaints with this book were that the pacing in the latter sections of the book felt too abrupt, and that overall I would have liked to have seen more of the characters (meaning, more book). But most of the characters are well fleshed out - even if seeming to be only incidental characters - and the story was, for this reader, a pageturner that kept me up half the night.
Obligatory follow-up to that last line - there is no erotic content, though there are moments that feel almost explicitly erotic due to the craftsmanship of the author. For instance, the Matterhorn ride is described in such a way as to make it tantalizingly sensual, without any explicit material.
May 17, 2016
This book is so hard to read. It's written in first person and the person is so irritating and weird. Like her thoughts are so entitled and I don't know! I wasted money buying this book :( i can't even finish it it's so meh. Sorry to the author
December 5, 2012
I can totally relate to this story! Thank you!
December 30, 2012
I think it was an okay book, but it had a cheesy story line. It was almost like the writhers of LOGO and Lifetime movies came together and made this book.
April 3, 2013
LOVED IT!!! beautiful ending to a tragic love story.
December 26, 2020
It's really scary to thing there are people like Jason in this world; even to that degree. I thought the book was portrayed very well and realistic in a lot of areas for a fiction book.
October 2, 2017
This is a good teen novel... the author ensured the romance was age applicable. It's also a book based on fate, hope and love. There is obvious predictability but I have also learnt not to judge a book by that but by the way the author drives the story....and in this case good
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews