Throwback: A Reese's Book Club Pick

By: Maurene Goo

Narrated by: Jennifer Sun Bell

Back to the Future meets Joy Luck Club in this fresh, funny novel about a Gen Z Korean American girl who gets stuck in the 90s with her teenaged mother, perfect for fans of Mary H.K. Choi, Morgan Matson, and Nicola Yoon.

“No one can blend family, humor, satire, and love into a single perfect story like Maurene Goo can.” —Marie Lu, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Skyhunter

“Funny and big-hearted, romantic, and delightfully unexpected in the best way.”—Nicola Yoon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Instructions for Dancing

Being a first-generation Asian American immigrant is hard. You know what’s harder? Being the daughter of one.

Priscilla is first-generation Korean American, a former high school cheerleader who expects Sam to want the same all-American nightmare. Meanwhile, Sam is a girl of the times who has no energy for clichéd high school aspirations. After a huge blowup, Sam is desperate to get away from Priscilla, but instead, finds herself thrown back. Way back.

To her shock, Sam lands in the ’90s . . . alongside a 17-year-old Priscilla.

Now, Sam has to deal with outdated tech, regressive ’90s attitudes, and her growing feelings for sweet, mysterious football player Jamie, who just might be the right guy in the wrong era.

With the clock ticking, Sam must figure out how to fix things with Priscilla or risk being trapped in an analog world forever. Sam’s blast to the past has her questioning everything she thought she knew about her mom . . . and herself. One thing’s for sure: Time is a mother.

Brimming with heart and humor, Maurene Goo’s Throwback asks big questions about what exactly one inherits and loses in the immigrant experience.

A Junior Library Guild Selection

A light mostly fluffy fun read

I needed a lighter/fluffy book to start off the year. I wish there were half-stars available on this rating system though…would give 3 1/2 stars. It was described as “Back to the Future” meets “The Joy Luck Club” and that’s exactly what it was. I listened to it on audio and the narration was a little over the top, although there were parts where she was spot-on perfect. Overall, I’m glad I read it…made me think about the issues immigrant families might face with parents watching the new generation of children becoming Americanized & leaving old world traditions behind. In a way it applies to all families in general…how parents might want the best for their children, but have a difficult time expressing it without overstepping boundaries as their children grow/leave the nest.

Nostalgic!

I saw Maureen Goo sspeak at the LA Book festival about this book and it completely caught my eye. Time travel? Asian MC? The 90’s?! And it was better than I thought it was going to be. Binged it and am going to make all my friends and my kids read it. The audio performance was wonderful too!

It perfectly paints what it is to be a teen in LA in the 90’s

I lived it, such a wonderful story, perfectly described how it was to grow up in the 90’s highly recommend what a heart warming story.

SO UNEXPECTED.!

I knew when I read the synopsis of this book that I was going to enjoy it. What I didn't expect was that I would not only love it but that its also probably one of my favorite books of this year. This book caught me by surprise. It had a beautiful love story between a mother in her daughter in the past and the future. It also had a very unexpected love story that I was extremely excited to see unfold. This book was like a love letter to families, and a love letter to your past and future self. I can't believe this is a debut novel. Well freakin done Maurene Goo. I have never laughed and cried so many times in my life.

Fun time travel twist

This was a modern day Back to the Future. I loved it and sent a copy to my daughter since I knew she would love this book too.