Indies Introduce

Young Adult

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  TJ Powar Has Something to Prove, Jesmeen Kaur Deo
  Viking Books for Young Readers, 9780593403396, June 7, 2022 (Young Adult)
  

  “There was not a single page of TJ Powar Has Something to Prove that I didn’t love. This book is a deeply feminist deconstruction of beauty standards AND a swoon-worthy academic rivals-to-lovers romance. Who could ask for more?"

  - Kassie King, The Novel Neighbor, Webster Groves, MO
  
  

  “When a meme mocking her cousin’s body hair becomes the talk of the school, TJ Powar begins to wonder how and why something as natural as hair is seen as disgusting or unclean — she then decides to discontinue her shaving and waxing regimens to test just how much it affects her social status. TJ Powar Has Something to Prove is a masterfully written debut that perfectly entwines the ever-present issues of eurocentric beauty standards and gender norms with the everyday life of a high school girl dealing with friends, family, and her future. Bold, smart, and game-changing.”

  Andrew King, Secret Garden Bookshop, Seattle, WA
  

  “This is such a highly relatable, feminist rom-com that has enough meat to make it more than just fluff. While I easily devoured this charming book in one sitting, it still made me really think. This book confronts female beauty standards and more than that, it does it in a completely realistic way. TJ changes her appearance and people don’t just accept it because she’s always been popular and hot. The jerks in high school are still jerks. It’s more about TJ accepting herself. Plus, there’s the swoony romance with her academic rival that I saw coming a mile away, but loved every minute of!”

  Melissa Taylor, E. Shaver, Bookseller, Savannah, GA