i am not okay!! so good and so heartbreaking

This book was so good; it made me laugh and it made me sob. This made me feel a lot of ways and I have a lot of thoughts that I’m not able to put into words yet. Jas Hammonds’ writing is captivating and they expertly snuck in such beautifully written lines. The story slowly unraveled in an unexpected way and I enjoyed every minute of it. The strong friendship between Avery, Simone, and Jade captured the feelings of finding friends who feel like soul mates. This YA book deals with important themes of racial violence and the lasting impact of generational trauma. The family history and the dark parts of the town’s history felt very real and representative of the history of the American South. I related a lot to Avery’s need to fix things for her family and her feeling rushed to figure out her life. Hammonds aptly captured the feeling of growing up in this world in the state it’s in (climate change, gun violence, etc.) and the panic that can cause. They also included moments of queer joy which felt very important for these characters and for the young queer people who will read this. I highly recommend this one!