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Description
As her senior year in high school approaches, Mina yearns to find her own path in life but working at the family business, taking care of her little sister, and dealing with her mother's impossible expectations are stifling.
Quick Summary
If you're looking for a story that really gets what it's like to feel stuck between who you are and who everyone expects you to be, this one's for you. Mina is a Korean-American teen who is tired of her mom's impossible standards, exhausted from helping run the family business, and fed up with always being the responsible older sister so when she gets a chance to audition for a summer program that could change everything, she's torn between finally choosing herself and feeling guilty about abandoning her family. The book is set up as a quest story with a twist: Mina's little sister Soo secretly follows her on this journey, and the two end up on an adventure that's equal parts funny, tense, and surprisingly tender as they learn to see each other differently. It's a quick, satisfying read at 37,000 words, and even though it tackles heavy stuff like family pressure, cultural expectations, and sibling rivalry, it balances that with humor and heart so it never feels preachy. If you've ever felt like you're supposed to put your own dreams on hold for everyone else, Mina's story will hit home fans of books like "The Truth About Forever" or anything by Rita Williams-Garcia will appreciate this one. Parents will find it a thoughtful, age-appropriate exploration of identity and family dynamics without anything too intense for high schoolers.