Rating:
Setting: 3.6 the story bounces from place to place
Characters: 4. 0 unforgettable characters
Style: 3.9 kind of basic
Plot: 4.5 Always exciting to counting
Over all 4.0 A wholesome and refreshing story
Summary
This is a heartwarming story of a 16-year-old girl overcoming the death of her mother. She’s thrust across the country and into a new world with a new family she knows nothing about. This family has many rules, some of which Tiffiany can not follow. Especially with the struggles, she faces in her everyday life. She has to fight to express her feelings to people who might not be her real family. Before she left her late mother’s home, another man was claiming to be her father. It’s a lot to take in for someone who has just lost her mother. Tiffany is a black girl, and, yes, black girls experience mental health issues too, from feeling overwhelmed to having panic attacks. This story introduces racial problems, health problems, and family bonding. On top of everything, she has to try and fit in at a new school.
My thoughts
This is the kind of book to pull you out of a reading slump. Readers can quickly jump in and enjoy the story. Tiffany is still in shock of her mother’s death. She’s scared and angry, and it shows. It felt nice to see the character be vulnerable around others and see them help her understand what happened. Everyone faces some ugly truth they have to overcome. However, some of the plot points go unanswered, which is one of the most frustrating things to deal with. There’s a lot more I want to know about the family and how they solve the problems. Also, the setting of California was crazy and very confusing. I would have preferred if the family just stayed in one place for most of the story rather than suddenly flying to another state. Another thing is that this family is loaded. It’s to the point where the money fills in some of the plot holes. (That’s kind of cheating) The character interactions and dialogue are what really drive the story well. Each member has their own personal dilemma you can pick up on during conversations. It floats pretty nicely.
Wholesome
This family is big. There is a married couple along with four daughters. Who all have unique and exciting interactions with Tiffany. Pumpkin is the youngest daughter and the most adorable acts as the family does. By this, while they have their moments of chaos, they are a kind family who cares about one another. There is a minor subplot where the mother doesn’t know how to handle Pumpkin until she starts listening to her. The same goes for Tiffany and her father. There are great moments of wholesomeness. While reading, I found great moments between all the characters. They deal with real problems and make mistakes, especially the adults. Like anyone, the experiences change them revealing their true selves. The father has to come to terms with his neighbors and must learn to accept them. He’s very religious and strict, so it was hard for him to accept that things change and he can’t change people. He had more of a character arc than Tiffany did.
London
I would very much enjoy a spin-off of London, the oldest sister of the book. In the beginning, she seems like an antagonist, but the more we learn about her background, the more I fall in love with her. There’s a lot of depth to her that I wish we could see. Unlike the main character, London is dealing with the struggles of growing up rather than fitting in. London has a lot of growing up to do. She acts as a character foil for Tiffany. Had she grown up with her father, maybe Tiffany would be just like her. These two clash in the beginning, not understanding each other until London’s darkest secret is exposed. After learning this, I wish I knew more about her.
Mental Health
This story is incredible when introducing the struggles of mental health. Anxiety, depression, the constant thought of something going wrong. This story covers a lot of topics. If you’re dealing with trauma or the death of a loved one, I highly recommend reading this book. Mental Health is constantly overlooked. People see it as a sign of weakness; that’s not true at all. If you don’t take care of yourself or if you’re in an unhealthy environment, of course, you’re going to get sick. In the story, our main character’s father, who’s a doctor, doesn’t believe anxiety is a big deal. There’s a scene where he takes Tiffany’s medication away from her as punishment. What follows is a very emotional scene where Tiffany lays herself bare. She explains her deepest fears and insecurities to her father while crying. It’s heartwarming to see them finally understand each other.
