I want you to know that this book has caused me such anxiety as if I was going through this. This is all the proof I need to work on my anxiety BECAUSE THE MAIN CHARACTER WASN'T EVEN AS ANXIOUS AS I WAS READING THIS. My friend can attest to the anxious text I send to her while reading this.

That being said, this book was great. I wasn't sure what I was getting into as it is very different than a lot of my current reads but I think it was a nice breath of air of something different. The entire time I was worried about what Perla was going through. But I understood her, being a child of immigrants brings a different set of pressure. It brings a feel of trying to make them proud and owning them that not everyone understands, and Tracy Badua managed to get those feelings down so well. You understood that some of the pressure Perla feels seemed like there was no way around it.

I think my favorite thing is the clear view of Perla not being likable. She makes mistakes, she does things that make you question her. But yet you are still hoping she succsseed in her crazy scheme.  I think it's clear to see where the anxiety came from. And I think that on its own makes it a great novel. But at the same time as someone who's slowly applying to graduate school, I feel that same pressure. I can see that struggle and thoughts of what if I don't get in? What then? And each time things were going well I just kept waiting for something to get bad. I will say though the side characters were iconic! I loved them. I want them to be my friends. 

I loved at all the slight hints that showed that she was still struggling because there are so many aspects you would have to figure out. I do think this book is just as important for parents to read as it is for their kids. It shows that such pressure of aiming so high can do to a child. Maybe you won't fake an acceptance letter, but who knows? If anything this will help you realize that you are more than what others believe you to be.

Thank you for an ARC!