Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 12/15/2023 Gr 5–8—Against all odds, a fiery narrator saves the day in YA writer Ma's debut middle grade novel. Aspiring filmmaker Lily always gets one-upped by her nemesis Max, the only other Chinese student in their small-town middle school outside of Seattle. The competitive heroine is determined to win the annual school district film competition; but her project suffers as she also tries to save the community center where her parents work and she grudgingly attends Chinese school. Lily's distractions pull her away from her loyal friends and closer to Max, who may be helpful in rescuing the center. Lily is a wonderfully flawed and believable character, quick to anger and judge, and funny in her sarcasm. Not all the others are as well developed, such as Lily's parents and other adults, but the book includes a nice array of people of diverse backgrounds. Fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Star Trek will also enjoy the many references and subculture portrayals, as well as those interested in Chinese mythology. There are abrupt scene changes and implausibly happy endings to complex problems, along with some bumpy wording along the way, but nothing to deter enjoying the tale. VERDICT A feel-good story with a simmering romance that will likely lead readers to Ma's YA novels.—Elissa Cooper - Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 01/17/2024 Lily Hong, a seventh grader who dreams of becoming a filmmaker, turns each school assignment into another episode in her ongoing feud with Max Zhang, her rival for academic honors. In every situation, her loyal friends stand by her, though sometimes wondering if she’s taking it all too seriously. When financial woes threaten the rundown community center where Lily’s parents run a Chinese school, Lily is expected to help by participating in a Chinese dance performance at the center’s fundraising showcase, but rehearsals conflict with the video project she’s secretly working on with her friends. Attempting to complete two demanding endeavors at once, she runs the risk of disaster, and the plot takes a few unexpected twists along the way. Lily comes across as headstrong and sometimes unsympathetic, depending on her friends’ and family’s goodwill while keeping secrets from them. Still, readers who tend to take on more than they can handle may sympathize with her distress when faced with challenging predicaments. Written from Lily’s perspective, the first-person narrative moves swiftly toward its feel-good conclusion. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.