The Weight of Everything

This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
Buy on Amazon Buy on BN.com Buy on Bookshop.org
*This page contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
Send NetGalley books directly to your Kindle or Kindle app

1
To read on a Kindle or Kindle app, please add kindle@netgalley.com as an approved email address to receive files in your Amazon account. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
2
Also find your Kindle email address within your Amazon account, and enter it here.
Pub Date 02 May 2023 | Archive Date 31 May 2023
Lerner Publishing Group | Carolrhoda Lab ®

Talking about this book? Use #TheWeightofEverything #NetGalley. More hashtag tips!


Description

It’s been six months since Sarah’s mom died. Three months since her dad fell apart. Sarah has left her fine arts boarding school to take care of her dad and her little brother, and now she’s trying to hold everything together at home while adjusting to the local public high school.

With her dad’s drinking and spending getting out of control, Sarah struggles to make sure that the bills are paid, that her brother is fed and safe, that her dad’s grief won’t crush them all. She has no time for art, unless she’s cranking out a piece to sell online for some grocery money. And she definitely doesn’t have the time or the emotional energy to find out if her sweet, handsome classmate, David Garza, could be more than a friend.

But then a school project prompts Sarah to delve into her mom’s Mexican and Guatemalan roots. As she learns more about this side of her heritage, Sarah starts to understand her mom better—and starts to face her own grief. When she stumbles upon a long-buried piece of history that mattered deeply to her mom, Sarah realizes she can’t carry her pain silently anymore. She has to speak up, and she can’t do it alone.

It’s been six months since Sarah’s mom died. Three months since her dad fell apart. Sarah has left her fine arts boarding school to take care of her dad and her little brother, and now she’s trying...


Advance Praise

"[L]ovingly conveys the pivotal role older siblings can play after a parent's death and weaves in Sarah's new interest in Guatemalan history and social activism in an organic manner. A thoughtful and substantive story about loss, cultural discovery, and first love."—Kirkus Reviews

"[L]ovingly conveys the pivotal role older siblings can play after a parent's death and weaves in Sarah's new interest in Guatemalan history and social activism in an organic manner. A thoughtful and...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9781728475356
PRICE $19.99 (USD)
PAGES 240

Available on NetGalley

NetGalley Shelf App (EPUB)
Send to Kindle (EPUB)
Download (EPUB)

Average rating from 19 members


Featured Reviews

In The Weight of Everything by Marcia Argueta Mickelson we meet our protagonist, Sarah, and her little brother, Steven, six months after their mother passes away in a car accident. Their father is so deep in his grief that he cannot care for himself and most certainly cannot care for his children. Sarah steps up into a parental role she shouldn't have to navigate. She's trying to figure out how to hold on to her dreams of being an artist while also ensuring her brother's safety and well-being.

There's a romance that develops between her and her friend David and she worries that if she lets herself fall for him she'll regret it. Sarah's Dad spends most of his time either sleeping or drinking and avoiding his children so as not to think about how much emotional pain he's in. He has a best friend whose role is crucial to his eventually starting to heal.

Art is Sarah's passion and when her art teacher assigns an end of semester project she decides to make some sketches based on old photos of her great grandfather who left Guatemala in 1954 during the CIA coup against the Guatemalan president. She uses her art project to honor her mother's memory in a special way. David is by her side through it all which is the most romantic part of the story.

It takes another accident that places Steven at risk to get Dad to finally accept the help he needs. The ending of the story is also a beautiful new beginning for everyone.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the e-arc copy!

Was this review helpful?

Readers who liked this book also liked: