Beautiful emotional YA masterpiece

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This book was an emotional rollercoaster. One minute I was crying because I was happy and the next I was crying because it was sad. There is so much depth and story in this book and I was so invested in the characters.

I wish there was a good way for me to sum up all my thoughts. I finished this in a little less than a day because it was just that good. I felt myself in Avery personally being a biracial girl and I felt for her when she was talking about her old friends. The “you can’t be offended cause you’re barely black” had me both crying and wanting to slap someone in the mouth. Simone and Jade seemed like such awesome and genuine friends I cried at the scene where they were at the hotel sleepover. I loved their friend group dynamic so much.

There is a lot in here about pain. Generational pain and trauma that trickles down and sets in and doesn’t let go. It grabs a hold and bares its claws into everyone around it. Mama Letty was forced to bear this pain and gave it to her daughter. The image of trauma and abuse runs deep and Avery is the witness to it all. Zora is obviously not completely healed from this and does not want to give it to her daughter. I felt so bad for her. She wanted so badly to love the mother who hurt and abused her while also help her in her dying days. She felt so hurt she didn’t want to go back home and didn’t want to subject her daughter to what was really going on and what she couldn’t talk about. I felt that so deeply. I felt the worse for Ray. And also for Amelia.

At the heart of it also are Avery and Simone. The feelings they have for each other. Their romance and their trip to the Renaissance was so sweet. I loved Mr. Arnie and Jerome. We need more father figures like them out there

The twist at the end I saw coming but it still stung. Hearing about how Ray being murdered changed Letty completely broke my heart in half. Because it happened. It still happens. No more statues of white people. People like Ray are the ones who deserve monuments. This book was beautiful and heartbreaking but also uplifting and inspiring. Thank you again to Bookish First for my hardcover copy in your raffle!