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A contemporary teen romance novel featuring a Palestinian-Canadian girl trying to hide her autism diagnosis while navigating her first year of high school, for fans of Jenny Han and Samira Ahmed.
Fifteen-year-old Jessie, a quirky loner obsessed with the nineties, is diagnosed as autistic just weeks before starting high school. Determined to make a fresh start and keep her diagnosis a secret, Jessie creates a list of goals that range from acquiring two distinct eyebrows to getting a magical first kiss and landing a spot in the school play. Within the halls of Holy Trinity High, she finds a world where things are no longer black and white and quickly learns that living in color is much more fun. But Jessie gets more than she bargained for when two very different boys steal her heart, forcing her to go off-script.
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""Compelling and so relatable, this unique YA romance is filled with memorable characters and vibrant prose. I loved watching Jessie’s journey to accept that high school friendships, as well as first love, can be messy and unexpected, and still be so joyous. Jessie’s emotions and struggle to fit into a neurotypical world seem so authentic, and the author perfectly portrays feelings of teenage longing and yearning for connections. An essential book for YA autism representation."
— FARAH HERON, author of Tahira in Bloom and Accidentally Engaged "Laugh-out-loud funny and heart-wrenching, Jessie Kassis has won my heart. For fans of Jenny Han and Helen Hoang, Something More has something for everyone.
As an autistic person herself, Khalilieh presents readers with a genuine protagonist. Jessie’s identity as the daughter of Palestinian immigrants is woven into the novel through cultural elements and brief explorations of Palestinian issues. . . . [A]n enjoyable read that will have readers rooting for Jessie’s success in love and life.
— Kirkus Reviews"Jessie’s attempts to define herself within her school and home life are enhanced by Khalilieh’s own experiences as an autistic Palestinian Canadian, imbuing Jessie’s challenges with organic-feeling nuance and making for a fully realized protagonist. [A] thought-provoking and thoroughly entertaining debut that centers questions of identity via a fresh lens.
— Publishers WeeklyThis is the best kind of YA romance, brimming with endearing adolescent awkwardness, bittersweet soul-searching, angsty emotions, and lovable, realistic characters. Something More is a warm, sweet, hope-filled portrayal of neurodivergence and coming of age that spoke deeply to my heart, as a grown woman who was once a confused, awkward (unbeknownst to her then) autistic girl, who’s learned, just as Jessie does, to understand and love her neurodivergent self. I adored it.
— CHLOE LIESE, author of Two Wrongs Make a RightOne of Audible Canada's Best of 2023
One of Audible Canada's Best of 2023One of the New York Library's Best Books for Teens for 2023
One of Audible Canada's Best of 2023One of the New York Library's Best Books for Teens for 2023One of CBC's Best Canadian Books for Kids and Teen for 2023
One of Audible Canada's Best of 2023One of the New York Library's Best Books for Teens for 2023One of CBC's Best Canadian Books for Kids and Teen for 2023One of Kids Committee List's Red Maple Fiction Readers Books for 2024
As an autistic person herself, Khalilieh presents readers with a genuine protagonist. Jessie’s identity as the daughter of Palestinian immigrants is woven into the novel through cultural elements and brief explorations of Palestinian issues. . . . [A]n enjoyable read that will have readers rooting for Jessie’s success in love and life.
— Kirkus Reviews"Jessie’s attempts to define herself within her school and home life are enhanced by Khalilieh’s own experiences as an autistic Palestinian Canadian, imbuing Jessie’s challenges with organic-feeling nuance and making for a fully realized protagonist. [A] thought-provoking and thoroughly entertaining debut that centers questions of identity via a fresh lens.
— Publishers Weekly"This is a genuine and heartwarming story of embracing being oneself that features a wide cast of characters and a neurodivergent protagonist. This book would be ideal for fans of the romance and coming-of-age genres.
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