Week 34 Review: Not Here to Be Liked

From Goodreads:

Emergency Contact meets Moxie in this cheeky and searing novel that unpacks just how complicated new love can get…when you fall for your enemy.

Eliza Quan is the perfect candidate for editor in chief of her school paper. That is, until ex-jock Len DiMartile decides on a whim to run against her. Suddenly her vast qualifications mean squat because inexperienced Len—who is tall, handsome, and male—just seems more like a leader.

When Eliza's frustration spills out in a viral essay, she finds herself inspiring a feminist movement she never meant to start, caught between those who believe she's a gender equality champion and others who think she's simply crying misogyny.

Amid this growing tension, the school asks Eliza and Len to work side by side to demonstrate civility. But as they get to know one another, Eliza feels increasingly trapped by a horrifying realization—she just might be falling for the face of the patriarchy himself.

My Review:
I had such a great time reading this book! It was so incredibly frustrating to see this boy who basically got the position with no experience because he was a boy, over her, when she had the experience as an editor, but was a girl who was too bossy.

The fact that her words that she wrote because she needed to vent, got published, yeah, that was a violation. That it in the end, had a positive impact, doesn't negate the fact that it shouldn't have been published. But it did, and we got this story! 

It was really interesting to examine being a feminist, from a teenager's perspective. From her attraction to Len, to her and her friend kinda dismissing Serena, because she was the popular girl dating a jock, that she wouldn't have anything to add to the conversation. I presume this happens with adults, but it's usually a first for teenagers, and I loved the discussions that this book brought up.

Eliza is no nonsense, and take charge. I loved the fact that she was the one that kissed him, that he was the one that was a bit flustered. That she also have other things going on in her life, like her dad losing his job, and her best friend  Winona making a film project that was on deadline to be submitted to festival, just rounded out this book really well! 

This was a fantastic read, and I can't wait to read more by Michelle Quach! 

Author: Michelle Quach
Read: August 24th, 2023
Source: Edelweiss/Library
Reason Why: Sounded really good, and it's a DAC Book and a SAC 2023 Book! 
Publisher: Katherine Tegan Books
Published: September 14th 2021

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars