Asian American YA Coming Of Age Fiction

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-I read this book somewhere between 2009-2013, so it has to be published before 2013. I checked it out at my high school library. Read in English.

-The MC is an Asian American girl, in high school. The story is set in modern day.

-The focus is on her relationship with her mother and her relationship with herself. I can't remember if her mom is also Asian American or if she immigrated to America. In fact, I am not 100% certain the main character is actually born in America either, so sorry if that is misleading! But the book definitely takes place in America and the family is definitely East Asian. As far as I remember, there are no siblings and no father involved.

-I am not certain of this, so please don't get too focused on it but I feel like either the title or the book cover had something to do with fruit or flowers- oranges and white flowers are in my mind for some reason, with a black paperback. Remember, this could be totally made up on my part!! The book was not brand new but not tattered with much age either.

-I want to say the book was in the 300 pages range, possibly shorter. It was not a tome of a book. I believe it's considered Young Adult Fiction.

-What I remember of the plot- The MC's mother is overbearing and demanding. She does not let her daughter leave the house often and usually needs to know where she's going and who she's spending time with, and expects the MC to get the best grades. MC starts off very closed off and I think without any friends (probably isolated as one of the only Asian people in her class/school?). She has a crush on a boy, and they start hanging out and I think dating? I know there is a conflict at some point with her mother over this boy and she may have even been lying about seeing him and/or snuck out to spend time with him. Perhaps one time mother found out she snuck out and met up with him, and waited up for her at home and they argued.

-One thing I remember very well, because it was the first I ever heard of such a thing, was that the main character used tape on her eyelids to make her eyes appear bigger.

I'm new to posting on Reddit so please let me know if I’ve committed any site faux pas!

Posted Dec 7, 2025, 10:50 PM UTC

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