This Is Why They Hate Us

Enrique "Quique" Luna struggles with his bisexuality during his senior year of high school in Los Angeles. When his longtime crush Saleem Kanazi asks him to help find a girlfriend, Quique agrees despite his feelings. The story follows Quique as he navigates complex relationships with his best friend Fabiola, his traditional Mexican-American family, and other students at his Catholic school. His growing friendship with a new student named Zach opens up possibilities Quique hadn't considered. Through parties, school events, and family gatherings, Quique works to understand his identity while wrestling with questions of loyalty, friendship, and self-acceptance. His role as matchmaker for his crush forces him to confront his own desires and fears. The novel examines intersections of sexuality, culture, and religion through a contemporary teen lens, raising questions about authenticity and the masks people wear to fit in.

Readers highlight the authentic portrayal of bisexual teen experiences and Mexican-American culture. Many note the book's humor and realistic dialogue between friends. Readers appreciated: - Raw, honest depiction of questioning sexuality - Strong friendship dynamics - Cultural representation without stereotypes - Sex-positive approach to teen relationships Common criticisms: - Plot pacing feels uneven in middle sections - Some character decisions seem frustrating - Love triangle aspects feel predictable - Explicit content may be too mature for younger YA readers Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (2,500+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (150+ ratings) StoryGraph: 3.75/5 (400+ ratings) Sample reader comments: "Finally a bi character who feels real" - Goodreads reviewer "The friend group dynamics were perfect" - StoryGraph user "Too much explicit content for my taste" - Amazon reviewer "Needed better pacing but loved the representation" - BookTok review

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🔷 The novel explores bisexuality in Latino culture through its protagonist, Enrique "Quique" Luna, reflecting experiences many LGBTQ+ youth face in traditional Latinx families 🔷 Author Aaron H. Aceves drew from his own background as a bisexual Mexican-American when crafting the story's authentic representation of intersectional identity 🔷 The book's title plays on the common phrase "this is why we can't have nice things," subverting it to address prejudices and misconceptions about bisexuality 🔷 The story takes place in Los Angeles and incorporates Spanish language naturally throughout the text, creating an authentic bilingual reading experience 🔷 Released in 2022, this young adult novel was praised for being one of the few mainstream YA books to feature a male bisexual protagonist of color as the main character