4.5 stars. At one point in this novel, about one third of the way through, I didn't think I would be able to finish. Twenty-five year old, Queenie, just kept hopping from one bad mistake to another with a clear goal of self-sabotage and I wasn't quite sure why. But then, when it all falls apart, things started to make sense and it becomes clear that Queenie is dealing with some really difficult moments from her past in the only way she could see fit. The rest of the book follows Queenie as she fights to get better, accept herself and discover how important her crazy family and loyal friends are to her. Queenie herself has a bold sense of humor but I definitely wouldn't characterize this as light fiction. This is a darker tale that discusses childhood trauma, race and emotionally abusive men and how one woman, with help from friends and family, teaches herself how to survive. I received an ARC of this book through the BookishFirst program in exchange for an honest review.