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.

In a mango-sweet new middle grade novel, Kereen Getten, tells the story of 12-year old Clara. Clara lives in a small seaside town in Jamaica. Clara loves living on the island. She loves eating fresh ripe mangos and running around in the rain. She has a secret hangout where she spends time with her best friend. There is just one thing. Clara has a gap in her memory about what happened last summer after a hurricane.

This was a moving novel about friendship and family. Clara learns about connections and misunderstandings. She develops a new friendship and sees an old one evolve. There is a lot of drama and tension in the small town but even so, the townsfolk care for their own. There is a good message of being open & understanding and trying to mend rifts.

This book was so sweet and atmospheric and I'm thrilled to have had the chance to read it.

We follow Clara, a 12 year old girl whose life has turned upside-down recently - while surfing was once her favorite hobby, she is now terrified of the water. Plus, her best friend won't stop being mean to her, and she can't remember things that happened last year. As the story unspools, she makes new friends with a girl visiting the island from New York and discover more about herself and the community around her.

This may all sound a little vague, but I think this book takes some exciting turns and has some lovely surprises in store. I love how closely this book looked at anger and how it can be challenging to control it at times, especially from a young girl's perspective. Girls' anger issues aren't often dealt with in middle grade and Getten does it so well here. I also love her small island community's atmosphere and how it's insularity and intimacy are both a beautiful thing and a horrible thing. If you love books with a strong sense of place, this one has oodles of atmosphere to spare.

The characters in this story also were so lovely. They had texture, dimension, and life that made them pop right off the page. Clara is well-drawn, but so is her best friend Gaynah and the new girl in town, Rudy. It made moments that relied on the complicated dynamics between these characters so much more interesting because we knew them well. And the fact that the author was able to convey these characters so well is such a short novel is a real work of art.

The only thing that I wish had a bit more dimension is Clara's relationship with her parents. I loved the way their dynamic was talked about and how they struggled with how to help her. But I felt when their relationship did take a turn, it was a little abrupt.

But ultimately, this is a moving and intimate story that I will think upon fondly. I could see myself recommending this to lovers of sweet contemporary stories with a bit of a twist.

Beautiful! AMAZING. My Jamaican heart was so in love with this book. It brought back so many memories and just filled me with such joy. It really made me miss home.

This book is splendid. Beautiful and haunting, it is a story of friendship and heartbreak and mystery and what it means to confront the truth of existence.

This book. THIS BOOK. Kereen Getten just took my heart on the tenderest of rides, and I cannot wait to discuss this one with you all for MG Book Club. 💔

I'm not gonna give too much away, because this is a book best experienced without knowing much about it, but if you are searching for a heartwarming & suspenseful story about friendship, memory, community, and forgiveness, WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU MANGOS is definitely the one for you.

Also! For my teacher friends! The main character in this book is 12 years old, but the book itself is written at a third grade level, so this is a fantastic book to share with struggling readers in upper elementary / middle school!

Oh my heart. Middle grade really makes my adult heart so happy. This story was so beautiful and the atmosphere was incredible. It's a ride too. Get ready!

5 stars! This emotional and atmospheric middle grade is exactly what I was hoping it would be! Struggles with friendship, self confidence, and secrets. Loved it! Highly recommend!

Even though this book was short and sweet, I really enjoyed reading it!

Clara lives on a small, island village, where she loves the people and the memories she's made there. Except, she can't remember anything of what happened last summer, and lately, her best friend, Gaynah, hasn't been treating her like a friend. This summer, however, fate has something different in store for Clara, starting with a new girl coming to the village.

I absolutely loved the setting of this book. I felt absolutely immersed and right there with Clara as the story went on. The writing was vivid but simple, without being choppy. I loved the middle-grade aspects of this book, specifically the imaginary/role-play adventures that Clara went on with her friends. While the plot may have lulled in some areas, the writing kept me invested in the story, and had me feeling something akin to nostalgia with the almost-childlike wonder and magic that was incorporated into the story so well.

When we find out what happened that fateful summer, I was incredibly shocked. While I had started to guess at the truth, I was genuinely surprised at what happened, and that was nice. The characters (especially the adults) are charming and so imperfectly perfect. I absolutely loved the way the book ended, and all of this isn't even to mention the gorgeous cover.

Overall, this book was a really solid middle-grade debut that I could not help falling in love with. I would definitely recommend it to other middle-grade readers who want to get wrapped up in Clara's small town, and the answers to the mystery that lie just at the edge of your fingertips.

When Life Gives You Mangoes was a fast-paced, exciting read. Clara's frustration with her memory could be keenly felt throughout the story. I enjoyed the POV of Clara, it reminded me of how foolish and yet wise children can be at times. Her inner monologue was clever and her personality showed through. The father-daughter relationship was beautiful; I'm a daddy's girl so I love seeing that reflected in literature. The family unit as a whole was well done, the support and love they had for each other was touching.

THE TWIST, my God I felt like I had to read the whole book over again when the twist came up. The mystery in When Life Gives You Mangoes kept me wanting to read the whole thing in one sitting. There was a lot packed into When Life Gives You Mangoes and it's a quick delightful read.

This was a enjoyable YA story, set in Jamaica, and tells the story of Clara, a young girl trying to navigate the recent demise of her friendship with her best friend. She is also trying to figure out some family secrets. The premise, the characters, the setting, all were engaging. Loved the themes of family, community, friendship and also how trauma affects us.
However, would have loved to see some patois throughout the story, as everyone spoke perfect English.

When Life Gives You Mangos is a sweet middle grade novel that follows Clara through one summer in her small island village. There is a new girl in town, and Clara wants to get to know her, but she is also struggling with anger issues and most frustratingly, she does not remember anything that happened last summer. The adults around her are either worried about her or angry with her, and we slowly unravel the mystery as to why.

I don’t want to give much more away about the plot, but I will say that what I expected to be a fun summery romp actually turns into something quite poignant and touching. I loved the friendships, family relationships, and the whole small town setting. Although for Clara it is definitely a double-edged sword, I enjoyed the supportive feeling of the tight knit community. Clara’s perspective about her anger and anxiety were really well done, and I liked seeing the world from her point of view. Overall, this is a sweet and emotional story about family, grief, and growing up.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free review copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

🥭When Life Gives You Mangos by @kezywrites book feature🥭

Once again I'd like to thank @hearourvoicestours for allowing me to be apart of a tour for such a fantastic debut novel by Kereen Getten! This novel follows twelve year old Clara who lives on a small island just living her life playing pick leaf, eating mangos fresh from the tree, and fighting with her best friend Gaynah. Everything is normal in her day to day life except for the fact that Clara has no recollection of what happened the previous summer and is constantly reminded and made fun of for it by Gaynah.

This book was a really quick fun read for me, it really just grips you and you honestly cannot put it down, this reminded me so much of how I was when I was a little girl, with my short temper and constantly arguing with my friends for
What was as probably a very petty reason. I had a lot of fun with this one and I think it teaches a very good lesson about friend ship and coming to terms with things that are not in our control. Oh and there is a TWIST that you seriously do not see coming. I was so shocked I audibly gasped. This is a fantastic 4 star debut and I cannot wait to see what other stories this author has to tell us.

A sweet story about a girl learning how to move on from toxic friends and people. I really enjoyed the coming of age element and the way the story discusses childhood trauma. It was subtle but I think a lot of kids out there will feel seen when they read this.

When Life Gives You Mangos was a good read and a quick one, too. It’s about a 12-year-old girl named Clara, who is struggling to come to terms with a tragic incident that left her unable to remember what happened last summer.

The story is fast-paced, but it gives us insight into Clara’s everyday life living in a small village in Jamaica where everyone knows each other. There’s a strong sense of community throughout, which is emphasized when a hurricane hits and the community turns out to help each other and rebuild.

The story is told from Clara’s perspective, so we get caught up in the drama and disagreement between Clara and her best friend, Gaynah. Since we are stuck with Clara, who’s upset with her friend for much of the story and focuses on only the negatives of Gaynah’s personality, I kept wondering why and how Clara and Gaynah became best friends. Clara focuses too much on the negatives between them for me to believe that they are best friends. It also turned me off Clara a little.

As the story progresses, we realize that Clara is struggling with something and it’s not until later, almost at end, that we realize what it is. There’s a big plot twist that I certainly did not see coming and made me reconsider almost all I’d read up until that point. It made the story a little more interesting and a little sad as well since it touches on grief.

In addition to all that, I enjoyed the story because it’s set in Jamaica and is authentic to the setting. From the small-town feel of Clara’s village to the children’s fear of entering Ms. Gee’s yard because she will find some chore for them to do. I also like that Clara loves to surf and that her parents are understanding, or at least try to be understanding and patient, regarding her fears and what’s troubling her. I love the little dugout area where Clara and Gaynah go to eat mangoes and the children’s visit to Eldorath’s house, where they dress up in costumes. I even like the mention of Koffee’s big tune, Toast, although it was brief, lol! It was a good read, it was quick, and I liked it.

OVERALL: ★★★☆☆
A contemporary middle grade novel set in Jamaica about a girl who’s unable to remember what happened the previous summer as she tries to avoid her grief. It was a good read and very fast-paced.

Although this middle grade is short, it packs quite a punch. With quite a twist and everything. Overall, it can be a bit predictable, but the atmospheric writing is absolutely wonderful.

Clara lives on an island in a tight knit village with people who feel so familiar. It's small and seaside so no one ever visits and no one really leaves. There's the grouchy old woman whom seems to dislike everyone but everyone does what she needs without question. There's the pastor that's overly judgmental. Clara's cousin Gaynah who she gets along with one minute and is at odd's with the next. And there's her ostracized uncle who everyone calls a witch doctor.

It's a slow starter but it's a well written book about friendship with a bit of mystery mixed in. Clara is suffering from memory loss and has trouble recalling the events of last summer which have left her shaken. She once loved the water but now has a fear of it. Clara's whole neighborhood seems to be judging her until one day a new girl comes to visit from NY. The new girl Rudy doesn't judge her for her behavior or make her feel inferior.

This was a beautiful story with an unexpected twists that starts out quiet but leaves a lasting impression.
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot.com/2020/10/when-life-gives-you-mangos-by-kereen.html

A new #ownvoices middle grade novel with a conflicted and lovable girl at its center. Clara is twelve and summer is beginning on Jamaica. Her best friend Gaynah seems to have deserted her and makes Clara want to retreat to her secret hideout. We learn that Clara wants loved surfing. Why is she afraid to go in the water? People keep telling her not to forget. What has she forgotten? What is the source of the conflict between Clara's uncle and Pastor Brown? Why didn't Clara know that Mrs. Ghee had a daughter and a granddaughter? This book really surprised me, but also left me a bit underwhelmed. The unification of the folks on the hill to clean up after the hurricane was heartwarming and inspiring. Clara's hermit uncle and the pastor had a back story that seemed a bit flimsy and unbelievable as the whole community seemed to be deceived. Hand this one to fans of Jacqueline Woodson and Kimberly Brubaker Bradley.

Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this story. The only thing I think was missing was some patois here and there. Other that that I think this was a wonderful story. It was very atmospheric with very real characters. The MC's feelings and emotions were much bigger than words on a page. The writing style wasn't too simple but also wasn't to over the top. The thing I loved most about the writing style is that while it was written for a younger audience, it didn't talk down to the readers. Also the twist was magnificent.

Do you remember the frenemy cycle with your friends? The frenemy cycle includes, having a fight with your friend, not talking to them after that, plotting against them, and finally becoming besties again.

When Life Gives You Mangoes by Kerren Getten reminded me of the frenemy cycle. Clara and her friends live in Sycamore, Jamaica. Clara doesn’t remember anything from last Summer when the hurricane hit their seaside town. Her best friend, Gaynah starts acting weird, aloof, and shares Clara’s secrets with others. The behavior of Gaynah makes Clara angry. Clara gets into fights with Gaynah which disappoints her parents. The only pleasant thing in Clara’s life is that a new girl comes from New York and becomes Clara’s friend.

This novel seemed simple at the beginning filled with childhood tiffs, role-playing games, and stealing stuff from other’s gardens. As we approach the end, I learned that this novel has a deeper message. This novel is suitable for youngsters who have trouble dealing with unexpected and uncontrollable situations in their lives.