Thanks so much for the review copy. Enjoyed reading about Clara’s life on an island. Highly recommend this book for middle grade children.

“Deft storytelling and an authentic rendering of a child’s voice make this a promising debut.” —The Horn Book

meeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh didn't finish reading it since it didn't capture my attention.
meeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh didn't finish reading it since it didn't capture my attention.
meeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh didn't finish reading it since it didn't capture my attention.

Ok, I didn't actually finish this one, but I read a good bit of it to see if it would be a good fit for my classroom library - it is! Great for middle grades into middle school.

This book is absolutely amazing!
Getten is a skilled writer. I found myself unable to put the book down due to the descriptions, the characters, the mystery surrounding what happened last summer. As Clara and Rudy work to find out what happened the previous summer, Clara's parents are tiptoeing around her, unsure of what to do, with the town's preacher thinking it's all due to a lack of God in her. There are so many layers to the story, and the twist worked so well, even though I never saw it coming.

I stand in awe of Kereen's storytelling abilities. I want to order multiple copies for my classroom. This is a wonderful story exploring the trauma young kids can go through. between the break up of friendships, the confusion of family drama, the destruction of community, and death. A wonderful, beautiful story.

This was such a cute story! I loved all the drama coupled with real emotional in the small village. The author did a good job of pulling me into the setting, which I found relatable. I also love the author's writing style. Very...elegant and almost lyrical. I am looking forward to more from this author.

This is a middle grade book. I do read a lot of middle grade books because I volunteer at my daughter's school library, and I like to know what books are about to help find a good book for them. I was so excited to read this book, and this book was so worth the excitement. The main character is Clara, and she is having some memory problems. I love that books is about a girl with mental issues (memory loss), and it was really well done. She feels everything is changing. She is working through it all during this book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher or author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

This was such an emotional read for me. Clara was such an easy character to connect with, and I was constantly trying to figure out the mystery surrounding her memory loss. The plot twist was definitely a surprise for me! I also really enjoyed the Jamaica setting being so vivd. Definitely a great book for upper middle graders who love books about friendship and family!

This was a little slow to start, but I really liked all the characters. The mental health issues were handled in a subtle way that was almost gentle while still hitting on the issues at hand.

Wow, that twist!!! Just kidding, I didn't care for the twist at all. I guess I've read too many books that have a similar plot twist, because I didn't find it that surprising - but that might be because I knew there was a twist in the first place since I read some reviews beforehand.

The setting of When Life Gives You Mangos was really cool, but I was kind of bored with the actual story. I'm just glad this book was so short - if it were any longer, I may have taken even longer to finish it.

This book was fine, but I didn't really care that much for the ending.

This was such a surprising read for me! I requested it on Netgalley on a whim, and I expected something completely opposite but I liked the direction it went. When Life Gives You Mangos is such an emotional read, and the father-daughter relationship was such a joy to read. The entire support the main character got from her family was lovely to read, too! The setting was another stand-out aspect of this story. I felt so immersed in the setting--Jamaica--and I think it did a great job of incorporating some of the culture and setting in the story. Also, as the story goes along, things become clear and there is a twist I did not expect. There is a supernatural aspect with ghosts that I loved, and it adds another layer to the plot.

This book is about family, friendship, loss, grief and I thought it was so beautifully done. I think it definitely transcends age, so even though you're not in the targeted age range, I would definitely recommend you give it a go!

Yes, yes, yes. I loved this book. I recommend this for anyone who loves YA novels. This would be a great addition to a classroom library!!

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I found this middle-grade book to be a fun little read and there were twists and turns even I didn't see coming. Kids will really enjoy it.

Clara lives on an island in the Caribbean in a small town called Sycamore. On the hill where she lives everyone knows everyone. They're family whether they are related by blood or not. So the entire hill knows what happened to Clara last summer. Everyone knows, everyone except Clara. For some reason, she's blocked out the events of the previous summer, and no seems to know what exactly to do to help her.

The hill is all aflutter with talk of the new girl in town, Rudy. And though at first she thinks they'll have little in common, Rudy and Clara become fast friends. She tells Rudy everything, about the annoying neighbor boy Calvin, about her hermit uncle, and how her cousin, who used to be her best friend, has suddenly become so annoyed at everything Clara does.

This book was such a fast read, I didn't want to put it down. Clara is such a charismatic, engaging character, I wanted to figure out her truth with her. I never saw the big reveal coming, which was a thrill. My only complaint is that I wanted more from the story. Getten's characters are well written. Common themes of friendship and family, loss and grief make the story relatable for her audience. I thoroughly enjoyed Clara's story and look forward to more from Getten.

Thanks to NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.

This book grabbed my attention when I first read the synopsis. It had me intrigued to figure out what the mystery that happened that made Clara lose her memory. I was not expecting the truth of the matter and the plot twist that was revealed honestly surprised me! I am glad, because not many plot twists get me anymore and this one was done in a way that was perfect for the story. This story involves so many different pieces of the puzzle that are laid out so intricately that the puzzle isn't solved until the author shows you the solution. Excellent work! The writing and atmosphere were great and I enjoyed every minute I spent with Clara and her friends. I would recommend this book to any middle grade reader or older.

I so enjoyed this debut! It was truly transportive and showed the author’s beautiful talent with words. Especially in the Iast five chapters or so, I just couldn’t put it down. I definitely plan to read more from this author as she continues to write!

I wanted to like this book because the subject is one that there are few books about. I just couldn't get into it, though

This story, written by debut author Kereen Getten, truly blew me away!! From the beginning we understand that something happened to 12-year-old Clara last summer, but that she cannot remember any details. She lives in a small, cozy village in Jamaica where everyone knows everyone, including the blind neighbor (who all the kids avoid because she puts them to work around her house) and Clara’s uncle (who has a mysterious past that has lead the community pastor to refer to him as a witch doctor). All these details brought life to the story and made me feel as if I was there. But lately, Clara and her best friend, Gaynah, seem to constantly be arguing. Clara is angry with everyone — like a loose canon for no apparent reason. And why does she seem so terrified to go into the water?

A new girl visits from New York and she’s so down-to-earth, helping to lighten the tension at all the right times. Her openness allows Clara to take risks she might not otherwise take and it’s a relief to see her finally have someone on her side, so to speak. But none of this, I repeat, NONE OF THIS prepared me for the plot twist that practically made me gasping aloud while sending chills all over my body.

I don’t re-read many books, but I’m quite certain this one will be a re-read in 2021 — possibly as a read aloud with my own children. I just love it when a middle grade book is only a little over 200 pages, but still provides such well-developed characters and engaging plot line. The story has themes of friendship, community, grief, religion, family, and trauma. I can’t wait to see what Kereen Getten writes next! My thanks to Netgalley for approving an Advance Readers Copy of this book so that I could provide my honest review. I’m very happy to recommend When Life Gives You Mangos for the middle grade crowd!

It won't come to as a surprise to you that I love this. Taking place in a small town in Jamaica(?) it hits all those topics that young kids are exploring. Friendships and growing up. I also wasn't expecting it to be a bit magical! And that plot twist you didn't see coming. Perfection.