This debut novel deserves all the awards. From start to finish, I traveled on an emotional rollercoaster, driven by authentic and flawed characters whom I fell in love with immediately. The family relationships and dynamics felt happy and comforting at times, but then angry and frustrating at other times, just as in real life. The friendships are fierce and complex as not only are these teenagers dealing with figuring out their identities, but also what their futures possibly hold. The slow-burn romance added another complexity and layer to the plot and I found myself laughing, smiling, and crying as the two girls navigated both a racially tense setting and homophobic town.
Mama Letty, despite being her gruff self, shows signs of wanting to be loved by her family. Her gradual acceptance and willingness to show vulnerability was both heartwarming and heart wrenching. So many secrets had been buried by Mama Letty and then Zora, which added dark mystery and suspense that made me never want to put this book down. The ending shocked me and I never even contemplated this book would end as it did.
Mama Letty, despite being her gruff self, shows signs of wanting to be loved by her family. Her gradual acceptance and willingness to show vulnerability was both heartwarming and heart wrenching. So many secrets had been buried by Mama Letty and then Zora, which added dark mystery and suspense that made me never want to put this book down. The ending shocked me and I never even contemplated this book would end as it did.