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It's Not Like It's a Secret
It's Not Like It's a Secret | Misa Sugiura
38 posts | 31 read | 75 to read
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Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

Life is tough for ethnically Japanese Sana living in basically all-white Wisconsin. But then her parents uproot her to California. Suddenly she‘s in a mixed# race environment, which is both great and challenging, as she learns to maneuver through her own prejudices and falls for an amazing Latina. I thought this was great! I didn‘t want to put it down.

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BookishGirl06
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Panpan

I wanted to like this so much, but it just ended up being very disappointing for me. The Main character Sana is kind of a hot mess and I‘ll leave my spoilery thoughts down below.

BookishGirl06 One big issue is that Sana cheats on Jamie by kissing a guy. A guy that she knows likes her, she ends up leading him on and doesn‘t have the backbone to end things with him. 3y
BookishGirl06 Midway through, Sana says some things that are kind of racist, and this really never gets addressed and she never really apologizes for it. 3y
58 likes2 comments
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BookishGirl06
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When the MC keeps saying things that sound a little fishy but won‘t stop talking and keeps digging herself a bigger hole.

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BookishGirl06
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What I‘m reading now.

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InkedBookworm13
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"And I remember that hiding the truth doesn‘t stop things from being true. Not talking about things doesn‘t stop them from happening. Pretending that a thing is something else doesn‘t change its true nature."

25 likes1 stack add
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InkedBookworm13
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3❤️ - It's Not Like It's A Secret
9/52 #TBRDeckofCards
@Clwojick

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BookishGirl06
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#newyearnewyou #pinkcover book on my physical tbr I need to get to someday

Eggs Great choice👏🏻👏🏻 4y
76 likes1 comment
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PerksOfBeingABookworm
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Panpan

I almost bailed twice, but 1.5 hours away from the end it was hard to just give up. The first 30% of the book was cute and fluffy, but then the author tried introducing what should have been two concepts to explore outside of the romance, and then she poorly executed all of the plots she had created. Sana was way too whiny, even by YA standards. Poorly executed storyline + whiny annoying protagonist = 2⭐️ review

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suzisteffen
Pickpick

This was a hard book. It‘s not perfectly happy, and the character at the center of the book has some serious issues with trust, lying, hiding, and love - as do her parents, for reasons that are eventually, and brilliantly, revealed. But despite the pain and the various issues for her, it is well worth a read. (Wisconsin doesn‘t come off very well, but ... yeah.)

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suzisteffen
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My next #fiction read.

Lindy Yay! 5y
20 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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Lindy
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Pickpick

While I was hesitant about this #YA novel chosen for my #lesbian book club—especially as it‘s described as “sweetly romantic” on the cover—it didn‘t take long for me to give myself over completely. The characterization is nuanced and the dialogue is highly realistic. Sympathetic portrayals of clashing mother/daughter viewpoints make this novel about racism & the immigrant experience in America thought-provoking. #NotSoFluffy #Asian #LGBTQ

suzisteffen ADDING THAT SO FAST! Thanks! 5y
Lindy @suzisteffen 😇Enjoy. 5y
53 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Lindy
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She cuts me off “Chotto! Be quiet & listen to me. In Japan, be gay is not a sin like in America. Just different—you cannot deny that gay is different from most people. But in Japan, too different is uncomfortable for the other people. It‘s disrespectful to make the other people uncomfortable. Even if you can‘t help being different, it‘s your duty to become like others. It‘s your duty to fit in. So in Japan, the gay can‘t be out of the cabinet.”

Lindy Continued quote: She puts her hand on my back, gently. “But different is ok in America, even though I forget sometimes. You are ok, even though you are different.” #LGBT #YA 5y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa That looks very interesting 5y
Lindy @Riveted_Reader_Melissa The characterization and dialogue in this novel are top notch. 5y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @Lindy I love looking at topics, especially more controversial society touch points, through different cultural lenses...because it usually points out how much they socially driven. 5y
55 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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Lindy
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The MC writes about Wild Geese by Mary Oliver in her Honors American Literature journal. “I love this poem for a lot of reasons. First of all, the first line: ‘You do not have to be good.‘ We are who we are, and we shouldn‘t have to suffer for it, or prove anything to anyone.”
#LGBTQ #YA

(Mary Oliver is showing up in books that I‘m reading concurrently: this one plus Maryanne Wolf‘s Reader Come Home.)

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Lindy
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“This is America, Mom. Let me express myself a little!”
She snorts. “Hah! That‘s the problem with America. Be different is cool, express yourself is cool, and don‘t care how the other people feel. It‘s so selfish.”
Right. How could I have forgotten? For Mom, different equals disrespectful.

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Lindy
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One afternoon, Mom gives me a book of poetry written by Japanese courtiers, way back in the year 1000. She says that nobles back then used to have poetry-writing contests to see who could best express a certain feeling, or describe a certain scene, and they would send poems called tanka to each other instead of letters—or even instead of talking.

(The world of #Genji is everywhere I turn today.)

batsy ❤️ 5y
Tanisha_A Love this 5y
52 likes1 stack add2 comments
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rachelsbrittain
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Let's do this 😍

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rachelsbrittain
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Bath reading-- I really needed this.

Pruzy Wow, saw you had a podcast and the sound quality is excellent! Adding it into my podcast rotation 5y
Reviewsbylola A Saturday night necessity. 📖 🛁 5y
candority Looks wonderful! 5y
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rachelsbrittain @Pruzy wow thank you!! Hope you enjoy! 5y
rachelsbrittain @candority it definitely was 😊 5y
70 likes6 comments
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autumn_kyla
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Pickpick

I love this book soo much!! It was very substantial and memorable. The author was even able to incorporate Japanese culture and poems, that tied in with what was happening in the story.
(´ε` )♡

#recommended #YA #adorable #cute #memorable #fiction #pink #hardcover #family

bookandcat Welcome to Litsy! Great review! 6y
CrowCAH Welcome to the Litsy community! 6y
autumn_kyla thank you so much! 💕💕 @bookandcat 6y
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autumn_kyla aww, thank you! 💞💞 @CrowCAH 6y
forevermint Ooo I had no idea there was Japanese culture and poems in this story, makes me even more excited to read it 😍 6y
autumn_kyla @forevermint I hope you enjoy it!! I‘ll definitely be rereading it ☺️ 6y
16 likes4 stack adds6 comments
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WanderingBookaneer
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Pickpick

❤️⭐️❤️⭐️❤️⭐️❤️⭐️❤️⭐️
Poetry, lesbian romance, family traditions, and culture clashes are some of the things that make this YA romance a gem.

minkyb Just on your rec I would/am stacking this but it is frustrating there is no description in the Litsy database. 6y
53 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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WanderingBookaneer
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WanderingBookaneer
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This book!

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WanderingBookaneer
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BookishMarginalia
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Pickpick

Lovely YA story about falling in love, making mistakes, making friends, finding your tribe, making amends, letting go and holding on tight. I also enjoyed the narration. Recommended! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

113 likes6 stack adds
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TracyReadsBooks
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Pickpick

Sana has a lot going on in her life. Her family is moving to California, she‘s fairly certain her father is having an affair, & she thinks she has a crush on her best friend. It doesn‘t get easier after the move when Sana has to navigate a new school, new friends, & a crush on a new girl. Sana makes a lot of mistakes along the way but that makes her a more relatable character & you‘ll root for her. Great supporting cast of characters & fun story.

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TracyReadsBooks
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“Daniel is a big-shot football player, with a face like your favorite love song and a body like fireworks on the Fourth of July; sadly, though, he doesn‘t have the brains or a personality to match.”

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TracyReadsBooks
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The great thing about cold, grey weekends is that it gives me plenty of incentive to stay inside previewing books for the library. On to the next one.

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SammyB123
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Pickpick

Just started reading this beauty 💕

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Broke_Girl_Reads
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Loving this one so far! A nice change of pace from the darker books I've been reading lately, but still tackling some weighty subjects. Plus, queer bbs falling in love over Emily Dickinson?! I'm dying of cuteness over here.
#currentlyreading #queerbooks

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CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian
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Pickpick

This was AWESOME. It's one of those #YA books clearly written by an adult who actually spends time with teens. The characters were messy and made LOTS of mistakes, perhaps most of all the main character Sana. I LOVED the queer girls of colour romance and I really appreciated the book's complex look at racism, stereotyping, relationships, and culture. And Sana's journey to learn to stop lying and hiding from the problems in her life was too real.

41 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian
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Omg, the queer girls of colour in this #YA are just so adorable. #QueerBooks

CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian Update, they're holding hands the cuteness is unbearable. 7y
WhatDeeReads Was thinking the same about my current read. 7y
CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian @WhatDeeReads Ooh, that's on my TBR too! Glad to hear you're liking it. 7y
thepenguinfangirl This look so freaking good 7y
38 likes4 stack adds4 comments
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CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian
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Hoo boy, this character's personality is really hitting close to home. She's so socially awkward and is always having these adorable fantasies about the girls she thinks are cute. It feels really authentic teen girl but also maybe authentic Pisces, like me. #YA #WeNeedDiverseBooks #QueerBooks

30 likes2 stack adds
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ContraryMary
Mehso-so

Book 67. This was a cute coming out story and a good look at some race issues. I liked how the MC found some new friends and sort of found a place for herself in the process. The couple sort of irritated me with their fights, it just seemed immature but they were teenagers and I guess I was dumb as a teenager too.

63 likes2 stack adds
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Jas16
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This book was recently added to my TBR. Has anyone read it yet? #ikissedagirl #junetunz

46 likes2 stack adds
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emilyjmead
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My first Litsy post! I still don't know what I'm doing on here (help) but I'm excited to see what it has to offer. Currently reading It's Not Like It's A Secret which is a v. cute f/f romance ❤️

beesbookworld *waves* Hey Emily! 🌹🌿 welcome to Litsy!💖 Great picture ☝️😍 7y
emilyjmead @beesbookworld yay thank you I have no idea what I'm doing 😂 7y
booknerd_reads YOUR PHOTOS ARE SO PRETTY EM 💖💖 7y
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emilyjmead @booknerd_reads LOOK WHO'S TALKING ❤️❤️ 7y
southerninlaw I'm with you - I have no idea what I'm doing but if it's anything to do with books, I'm in!! 😜 7y
MrBook Welcome to @Litsy ! We hope you enjoy your stay with us 😊👍🏻. We're the most positive, tight-knit, passionate bibliophile community you'll meet. Careful: this'll take over your life. 😂👏🏻🙌🏻
7y
ruthemmielang Welcome!!! 😀 7y
58 likes6 stack adds7 comments
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RanaElizabeth
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This month's #mylitbox unveiling! I haven't heard of this book but it sounds great.

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silentrequiem
This post contains spoilers
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WHOA! June's #mylitbox came super early! AND it has TWO books, and a sweet magnet and tote bag. I love it! Both books look excellent! I'm super excited and want to use all the exclamation marks!!!!!

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BookishMarginalia
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This one is coming home with me. #ReadDiverseBooks #LGBT

RealBooks4ever I disagree with the sentence, "telling the truth is easy", because I think for most people it isn't. Especially for young people coming out. It should be easier in this day and age but they still have their uncemented feelings and beliefs to deal with which makes everything just so darn hard. ? 7y
Mimi28 Interesting... stacking it! Thanks! 📚📚❤️❤️ 7y
BookishMarginalia @RealBooks4ever That is very true -- I'm interested to see how the story actually develops. 7y
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PurlSquirrel @BookishMarginalia You might like Tell Me Again How A Crush Should Feel. It's so very good and in the same vein of coming of age and coming out. 7y
BookishMarginalia @PurlSquirrel I have that one on Kindle but haven't read it yet. Your rec has put it back on my radar. Thanks! 7y
PurlSquirrel @BookishMarginalia I listened to it in audio and loved every minute. Enjoy! 7y
106 likes3 stack adds6 comments
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BookishMarginalia
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Some strong #YA contenders out this week 🤓 (and yes, second coffee! 🤷🏻‍♀️)

111 likes3 stack adds