A big thank you to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for sending me an advanced e-copy of “The Other Half of Happy” in exchange for my review. There are many things I really liked about this book, and a few things that I did not.

To begin with, I loved almost all the characters in this story. I especially loved the father and how optimistic he is and tries to keep his family on track and bonds with is children. I also loved the mother’s character for being the more grounded one and looking for solutions to fix the problems. Jayden in Zuri are also wonderful friends to Quijana. Most of the characters are very dynamic and lovable and you instantly root for them. The author progresses with the storyline so smoothly that even though there is drama, it is not over dramatic. There is no unnecessary jealousy between the friendships, hardly any hostility between characters. Everybody genuinely loves one another, even if they have family issues. The author has also remarkably portrayed that no matter how many hurdles life throws as you, life keeps going, and you need to look forward to each day.

Grandmother Miller is one of my favorite characters, and I love some of the quotes she imparts, such as: “Figure out what makes you amazing” and “Embrace the adventure”. One of my favorite lines is when she tells Quijana:

“You’ll flourish in your life, that’s certain. But you’ll grieve, too. And not just for me. All your life, you’ll be letting go of things. The secret is to relish the moments as they happen, but let endings happen, too.”

The author has also thrown in wonderful quotations from Cervantes “Don Quixote”, which makes me want to pick up the book from my bookshelf and read it.

My main problem was Quijana’s character at certain parts. She appeared to be way too selfish at certain pivotal scenes and thinking only about herself. Even when her Grandmother passes away, all Quijana thinks of if she was about to fill out the bus form. She acts way to impulsive and stubborn and does not listen to others at times. Also, I felt like the author tried to highlight way too many issues in one book itself. One chapter talks about autism, another about cancer, then about a gay character coming out, then one about racism etc. Moreover, I felt that the author just touched the surface of these issues without really dwelling into it. While I agree that these are relevant topics, I think it was just too much in one book. As they say, sometimes less is more.

Don’t get me wrong. I still think this is a charming book and there are some parts which are truly beautiful. If the author has just made Quijana’s character less self-centered and annoying, I would have really enjoyed reading it. Overall, “The Other Half of Happy” is still a fun, breezy read, and I would give it a rating of 3.75 out of 5 stars.

The Other Half of Happy is an enjoyable, enduring read that lingers after it is finished. Rebecca Balcarcel writes beautiful prose and paints a vivid and believable portrait with words.

Will come give full review near pub date. ..

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

This is a review of an eARC sent to me by NetGalley.

Quijana is working to navigate life while being in middle school. Starting fresh this year, she doesn't feel like she fits in with anyone because of her heritage: Half-Guatemalan and half-American. When cousins move into town, Quijana sees that she's the only one that doesn't speak any Spanish. Her parents decide to take her to Guatamala for winter break, but Quijana does NOT want any part of that. Her father longs for her to accept his side of the family and has instilled a love of music into her. Will Quijana accept her whole heritage? Will anyone else?

There's a LOT going on in this story, so let's take a look at the list: new school, new friendships, a crush on someone who is struggling with their own identity, a grandmother who develops cancer, and a three-year old brother who is dealing with some sort of sensory-processing issues (It's never clearly defined as the family is trying to figure it all out...) Quijana has many good qualities, but she definitely exercises some poor judgement in a couple of different situations-- it would be great to discuss this with students in middle grades to see whose side they would take. It asks good questions about romance, being yourself, cultural identity, and these questions feel realistic for the situation. Ultimately, life goes on, and things are not wrapped up in a perfect bow, which I really appreciate from a real-life perspective. It was a fresh take on cultural identity, and the Quixote references play more for the adults reading. I thought this was a solid middle-grade debut for the author and I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next. This book should go into a collection looking to make sure there is representation for all cultures. in the middle grades.