“As she starts the car, I put my feet up on the dash. Two girls from opposite sides of the earth, emerging from the ashes, stronger.”

Dani is a poor Filipino-American, living with her mom in East Covina, California. She is on the debate team, and is a scholarship student. After school, she works at a cleaning company that contracts with many of her wealthy classmates' families. Her private school is a host for "parachutes", rich Chinese students sent here by their parents to get foreign education. The school pays any family that hosts a "parachute" in their homes. Running short on cash, Dani's mom decides to host one at their home. Although Dani is not happy about having to deal with a spoiled rich kid, she does need money to go to an elite debate competition.

Claire belongs to a wealthy Shanghai family and is extremely privileged. She doesn't want to go to an American school in the middle of eleventh grade, but her parents don't give her any choice. Her wealthy background immediately elevates her to instant high status in the school and a friend group of popular girls.

The book is told in alternating first person POVs of both these girls. It is a breezy read, but at the same time deals with some heavy and hard hitting topics - sexual assault, rape, wealth, immigrant, discrimination, relationships and trauma.

“Is this what the rest of my life is going to be like? Moments of happiness punctured by the memory of what happened, like a bomb which can detonate at any time.”

I had expected a story about a clueless rich girl being clueless in a foreign country. I couldn't be more wrong. This book was raw, emotional, heart-breaking and honest. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Trigger Warnings : Grooming, sexual harassment, rape, bullying