I wanted to like this book more than I did. The cover and the description had me so excited, especially since I have a Mexican-American husband who has talked about feeling many of the same things this character does but it just fell flat for me. The biggest problem for me was that I just didn’t feel connected to the main character and I often found myself disliking her.

One particular instance in the book for example was when Ri saw a couple making out at a party. She internally talked about how gross and annoying it was, but the second Brittany made a joke out loud calling the couple “classy”, Ri talked about how ridiculous and rude Brittany was despite the fact that she agreed. I also got that Brittany and her Grandma were very wrong regarding their feelings and actions, but so often Ri was incredibly rude and harsh in both words and actions when often times it felt like Brittany was trying to change and really loved her friend. Overall, Ri felt a bit self-righteous to me.

The final thing that didnt sit right with me was the cocaine use. It almost glamorized it, which was sort of weird for a Young Adult book. Ri often talked about wanting to try it again but only decided at the end that it wasn't a good idea due to addiction possibly running in her family.

There were definitely some things I loved about this book, Edgar and Nina being two of them. They were two great side characters and ones I loved reading about. I also loved the emotional moments in the story when people finally talked about their feelings.

So overall this book wasn't my favorite. It wasn't horrible or anything, but it isn't a book I care to read again.

This was an emotional coming-of-age story. This book dives into Ri’s struggles in terms of her heritage, mother, and grandma. I was invested in her story and growth because it’s one that is relatable to children with immigrant parents/families. Despite the interest I had in the story itself I found the writing to be kind of cringe-y at times. Some of the inner monologues and conversations seemed forced and unfitting for older teens. I also felt like the ending was somewhat rushed; after all the buildup everything seemed to end so quickly. (3.5/5)