I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

I was hoping I'd enjoy this book but I just realized that this genre does not work for me. I am sure someone else would enjoy it if they are a fan of the genre.

I suspect I am not the target audience for this book. I finished it, but it all feels super dramatic to me? I do appreciate the timeliness of the topic.

I gave this a three stars, it was okay but that's about it. It's not really memorable, I don't remember anything that happened while reading this and I finished at the end of last week. I was reading it just to get through it.

Wow. This was just phenomenal. It’s not often books speak on gun violence and gun safety, especially not a YA book, but this was just amazing. The characters were great and so was the storyline

3 stars for this timely look at gun violence. The beginning of this book was great. I didn’t want to put it down. However, once I got to the middle I felt like it really slowed down and I had to make myself push through. The ending was tied nicely, but kind of meh. I don’t know what else I was expecting though. If you are interested in gun violence and how it can affect teens today definitely give this a read

I have problems with the details in this book. I understand that learning you caused someone's death as a toddler would be devastating and alter your definition of yourself. I understand that fact would make other people uncomfortable because they don't know what to say to you. I don't understand why everyone suddenly treats this girl like she's in a gang or a violent sociopath.And the entirety of the plot is focused on her sudden pariah status. While there are some interesting conversations about guns, guilt, and forgiveness, I don't know that it's enough to redeem this book.

I can not review this title because I am on the Florida Teens Read Committee, but this title has been added to the Long List for 2021 Titles.

I enjoyed this book and see the importance it holds in telling the story of those affected by gun violence. However, it struggled to hold my attention at times and didn’t seem to really be going anywhere.

A heart-wrenching story of struggling to find yourself after a tragedy. I loved the mix of romance with the tough topics to give the reader and break and I also always love a good book with teen activists and this one has it.

This is a story of the possibility of danger when an unattended gun is in a house with a child. Johanna has accidentally killed her mother, though she grew up with no knowledge of this. When her father comes back into her life and tells her what actually happened, her life is turned upside down. Raised by supportive grandparents and with two best friends plus a new boyfriend, Johanna begins the process of recovery.

Summary: Johanna has always known who she was. But when she learns that her mother didn’t actually die in a car accident, and that Johanna had accidentally shot her as a toddler, the foundation of her world is shaken. Johanna has to grapple with her guilt, her identity and find her voice.

I thought Accidental was a really interesting premise for a book. It’s a premise rooted in reality. Johanna is hardly the first toddler to accidentally shoot someone and the debates that happen in the book are debates that occur in real life. I don’t think the idea was executed well.

The book did well when it followed Johanna’s introspection. If more of the book was about Johanna dealing with her guilt and anger, it would have been a better book. I enjoyed the parts of the book where Johanna finds her voice, when she begins to fight for herself. Her grappling with her role in her mother’s death and her absentee father’s role was very interesting and presented moral dilemmas worth discussing. Johannah’s grandparents' choice to raise her unknowing of her role in her mother’s death also raises many moral questions. However the introspective period of the book was not long enough and it’s why the book falls flat.

The book had two main flaws that severely detracted from the plot. The romance and the way the discussion around gun control was handled.

The romance was beyond unnecessary. It added nothing to the book, the love interest Milo was not well developed and it was the epitome of instalove. Within hours of meeting Milo, Johanna was telling him her life story and confiding in him. I have no clue why Milo would date Johanna, given the hot mess she is for all the time he knew her.

The other main flaw was the way the topic of gun violence was handled. I saw some other reviews saying they thought it was too political. I disagree. With a topic like gun violence, it is impossible to not become political. I think the author tried too hard to present both sides of the gun violence debate in ways that made no sense. Johanna’s grandfather being a safe gun owner should have been sufficient to present both sides.

But when a girl at school Annette starts proselytizing pro gun opinions to Johanna’s face, I lost all credulity. Annette is portrayed to be rational and empathetic. I know many teenagers who are pro-gun. I do not know any pro-gun teenagers who would go up to a victim of gun violence and debate gun control. I also do not know any rational pro-gun teenagers who would actively fight against a peace mural. The debates between Johanna and Annette are clearly representative of the gun control debates that often occur in America but within the context of the book, it didn’t make sense to include Annette as such an important character. I don’t think the book took enough of a firm stance on gun violence as it presented Annette’s views as rational.

When everyone at school finds out Johanna had accidentally shot and killed her mother, she faced a lot of bullying. To me this part was somewhat unrealistic. Teenagers can be cruel, and I can definitely imagine that some people would react negatively. However, I would have expected to see more support and sympathy for Johanna amongst her classmates.

There aren’t any other YA books I can think of that can really be compared to Accidental plot-wise. However I was expecting Accidental to be closer to The Hate U Give and have more of an emotional impact and a stronger stance on gun control.

Final Thoughts: A book with a really interesting premise but a weak execution. 2.5 stars.

Accidental tells the story of high school student Johanna who is living a normal life being raised by her grandparents.
Jo lost her mom when she was 2, one day she finds out she accidentally shot her mother to death when she was a toddler.

We get to read about the guilt and shame Jo feels. It is a heartbreaking story.
And something that sadly happens in real life too not just books and movies.

This is an emotional book. The author did a great job with this story. I felt everything the characters felt. She just had such a good way of making you feel.

I would say my only issue with the book was that I didn’t always like Jo. While I understand going through something like this is awful, I felt she was very immature at times. I didn’t care for her from the beginning before she found out about her past. I need to love a main character for me to fully enjoy the book.

I would still recommend it if you like contemporary YA novels.

*This review contains spoilers*

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

"Average teenager" Joanna Carlson likes everything else that teenagers like, ranging from (but not limited to) spending time with friends, having fun, the whole nine yards. Her best friends, Gabby and Leah along with her grandparents are the most important people to her in her life. Her mother was killed in a car accident (which we find out in the story is not true), and her family was not allowed to speak about this to her. The story's beginning was catalyzed and initiated by her father (Robert) suddenly contacting Joanna, wanting to see her. Joanna, like most people, originally wasn't a big fan of meeting again the parent that didn't bother reaching out to her in years. But curiosity got the best of her, which...yeah, the rest was history.

To stray off for a bit, I want to vocalize my disagreement with Robert's action here. I understand how and why Joanna wants to truth, and yes, she does deserve it if you want to put it like that. But sometimes, truth is not always the best thing - or else "white lies" wouldn't exist. I personally feel like Robert shouldn't have told Joanna what happened. Nothing gets out of it, all that happens is devastation for her having her life turned upside down. The whole point of her grandparents removing her from her past and not reminding her of what happened was because 1) they are trying to save her from the painful trauma and 2), it was not her fault. If Robert did not leave the gun hanging around she would've never accidentally shot her own mother. Furthermore, if this truth was to be revealed to Joanna, it should be revealed under a professional in a controlled environment to lessen the negative impact breaking this news may have on Joanna, not like this. Most importantly, Robert should've at least consulted the grandparents.

Now that I've ranted about how to avoid the situations that unfolded in the story, let's get on to the story itself.

This book is very political especially for a book published in the US, since it is an analogy regarding the topic of gun safety and gun violence/accidents. But as someone who has my own view on the matter, I find myself appreciating how the message was portrayed. The book was very respectful in trying to convey is the ultimate point, and I would still recommend this book to anyone with any kind of perspective to read and enjoy.

This is a book that isn't afraid to be real with readers. My favorite thing in the entire world is when books are real. I might be a sucker for fake love stories that leave a gooey feeling in my heart, but nothing will ever beat how it feels to read a book that is REAL. A book full of real emotions, real mistakes, real situations. Not the type that are glossed over and lessened for the effect of a happier story. This book was real, and that is the highest compliment I can give it.

The author new how to tell this story with grace, but also with truthfulness, and for that, I applaud her. She presented the character Johanna extremely well. Johanna wasn't perfect by any means, but she was realistically good. She was as good as a hurt teenage girl can be. She handled her pain well, but we could also see the strain it placed on her. It was great to see her develop and learn to deal with that pain in different ways throughout the book.

I loved this book immensely and I believe it to be a must read for anyone who loves real stories as much as I do.

This was an incredibly moving and well done story. Richards covers a topic that is not done enough in YA, the impact of guns in our country and our inability to address safety. What was different about this story however was it followed early trauma at a young age and the decisions families make as they come out of that trauma. While the topics were heavy, Richards created a lovable character that you will not only care for, but root for as she makes her own decisions and finds a way to use her voice. An important and enjoyable read.

I was incredibly surprised and impressed with this book. It tackles and promotes controversial conversations about gun safety which I think is incredibly helpful! This was an incredibly strong ya debut!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Children’s for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was an extremely powerful debut. Joanna’s grandparents have a secret. When that secret is brought to light by the father who abandoned her, Joanna’s entire world is turned upside down. I have seen mentions that this book will promote conversations about gun control, but I think it deals with a more important topic: gun safety. Who should have access to guns, and how do we properly store our guns? The book also brings to light that in times of crisis, it is okay to ask for help. An outstanding YA read.

When I read the blurb of the book; I couldn’t hit request hard enough – the blurb made Accidental sound like a book that will break your heart and yet leave you with hope at the end of reading the book!

In Accidental; Johanna is living the typical teenage life with her conservative grandparents – she has her tribe, two best friends, Lea and Gabby who stand by her through thick and thin; she has her passion for sewing fashionable clothes and now, she has a cute new boy in her class; Milo – so there’s a possibility of something in the romance front as well. All is hunky dory in her life.

The fact that she receives a letter from her father; whom she hasn’t seen in thirteen years is something to look forward to – rather than something to dread. Until he starts spewing some story about how her mother didn’t die in a car accident; but it was Johanna who accidentally shot and killed her mother when she was 2 years old. An accident for which her father went to prison and she has absolutely no recollection of.

When she finds out that her father has been telling the truth; it totally upends her life in a way she did not expect and add on to the fact that she becomes a victim of cyber bullying, harassment and bullying at her own school – it destroys her in a way that she doesn’t know if she will ever recover from.

I loved the way the author has handled the sensitive issues within the book; I could see the effort that she put in to be sensitive of an issue that not many would focus/hopefully experience in their lifetime.

What didn’t support her was the way the MC; Johanna behaved – I could honestly not see any character growth within her; for the most part, I couldn’t connect with her whining or rather her woe be me attitude that didn’t work in favour at all. And can I just say, I also couldn’t understand the need for Milo and the progress of his relationship with Johanna – Trust me, I get that he was her support system; her unconditional support system to be honest; but the way Jo treated him for the most part, especially when he had even a single opinion that went against hers –let’s just say there’s a reason why I didn’t actually empathize with Johanna throughout the book.

Pick up this contemporary YA novel, if you want to have a unique plotline and the way it is handled!

Accidental follows a teenage girl named Johanna who is raised by her grandparents after her mother dies in a car accident and her father leaves the picture. However, her whole world is turned upside down when her father comes back with a devastating truth: Johanna had accidentally shot and killed her mother when she was only two years old.

This book covers a very heavy topic that isn't often talked about in the realm of gun violence. The author delves into all of the conflicting emotions experienced by Johanna, her guilt, sadness, and frustration. Johanna's relationships between the people around her are also fundamental to how she deals with her grief. Her grandparents' well-meaning lie causes a rift between them, the tension growing with the suppression of what really happened in Johanna's early life. Johanna also relies on her friends and new boyfriend to learn to ccet her past and what she can do to one day come to terms with what she had done. I feel like this book was excellently written, not afraid to go through all of the tangled emotions for a teen who has gone through terrible circumstances.