Parachutes by Kelly Yang

Publisher: HarperTeen
Expected publication date: May 26th 2020
Pages: 496

They’re called parachutes: teenagers dropped off to live in private homes and study in the US while their wealthy parents remain in Asia. 

Claire Wang is a wealthy teen that lives in Shanghai. One day her parents announce the news to her that her life is about to change, she will be flying to the USA in a few weeks to start at American Prep high school in California. Soon she finds herself without her strict parents and teachers telling her what to do and how to live her live. She enjoys her new life, new friendships and her new crush Jay.

Dani de La Cruz is a Philippino girl living with her mom in California. She is an academic and debate-team star, andis determined to earn her way into Yale, even if it means competing with privileged kids who are buying their way to the top. When her debate coach starts working with her privately, Dani’s game plan veers unexpectedly off course. As he start to working a little bit too privately wit her and makes too charming comments about the way she looks during a debate competition in Seattle. And this turns everything she worked hard for in jeopardy, as no one around her believes her story.

They have trouble to make ends meet, and Dani has to work after school as a cleaning maid in the home of the rich kids that also go to her high school American Prep. Her mom announces to her that she will be renting out her old dad's room to a student from abroad; and that student turns out to be Claire. Altough they live on the same roof, Dani and Clair try to avoid each other as much as possible, as they just don't click that well. Dani and Claire find themselves on a collision course, intertwining in deeper and more complicated ways, as they grapple with life-altering experiences.

I love Kelly Yang's previous book Front Desk (read my review here) so I was looking forward to reading her next book! And this book totally lived up my expectations. The story, plot and characters are all just great. What I also liked is that it is a story that is so different then most YA books, to start with. The story about Dani and Claire was awesome, they both are very different and somehow you just wait till they become friends during the story, but that doesn't happen. I guess they are just from two too different worlds. This is also a story about the #metoo topic, as both girls are victim of sexual harrasment. It was so sad that the school of Dani didn't took her serious. Something that sadly happens also in real life.

Anyhow, this book is just a very good new upcoming book that I highly recommend reading!!