I was a not a fan of this one. I think this would be a better read for another person. I would not recommend this title to those that I know.

Once I started reading it was difficult to put this story down.ental health often affects the whole family and many YA stories focus on the health of the teen. I like how the parents were the ones with the issues and their daughter was strong enough to see past them and fight for what she needed.

“I will not live my life by old answers to new questions. I won’t ignore the things I know to be true simply because he’s told me different.”

Reading this book felt like watching a very addicting reality TV for the first half.
With the fast-paced start of the book, you immediately get thrown into the situation that will change the protagonist – Lark – life forever.
The book is just as fast to establish every role each character will fulfill during the book, and none of them will actually stray from their paths. Not her conspiracy father, not her mother that blindly follows Lark’s father, not the boy-next-door Alex whom she confines in. The same goes for every character every introduced in this story. Lark seems to be the only one allowed to change and have a character arc.

Lark’s naivety is portrayed in a funny way to the reader which made me giggle especially during the first one hundred pages, while simultaneously being angry at her parents for forcing it onto her. Lark’s curiosity is wonderful to read during the entirety of the entire book. Her need for knowledge and understanding doesn’t come from nowhere, but it is shown just how her brain works. It made me sympathize with her immediately.
Furthermore, the book makes a point to show that she isn’t stupid, just uneducated.

I enjoyed reading this book a lot, and it achieved its goal of making me feel a variety of emotions from anger to happiness, to sadness.
It’s an easy read that doesn’t require much own thought to distinguish between “good” and “bad”.
Sadly, I feel that if the book wanted to make a statement regarding conspiracy theories and the harm, they can cause it felt a little flat.
Otherwise, a thoroughly enjoyable YA novel with an amazing, eye-catching cover and many quotable passages I wanted to shove into the face of people like Lark's parents.

3.5 stars

Lark’s journey was so fascinating to read. I loved watching her struggle to find out what was true and what wasn’t. At times it felt like a collection of vignettes instead of a cohesive plot, especially in the first half.

What happens when so much of what you thought to be true turns out to be a lie? Or a misrepresentation of the truth? How do you sort out the facts from opinions of your parents? How do you know what's real?

15 year old Lark is learning that not everything her parents have been teaching her is the truth. No birth certificate, no social security card, Lark doesn't exist. She lives off grid with her parents, avoiding "poison" from store bought food and from traditional schooling, until one day she starts to wonder what things are like out in the world and learns there is so much she doesn't know.

Reading this book I could feel the anguish of Lark as she tries to sort out what is real and what is the opinion of her antigovernment "free" parents. I was enthralled walking along with her as she fights for what she thinks is right for herself. The writing is so descriptive, filled with beautiful metaphors that helped me dive right into the story. I loved it from start to finish

While many teens clash with their parents, few have choose to struggle as hard as Lark, the protagonist growing up in rural Montana. Some suspense. I enjoyed the book. The writing felt representative of the narrator's experience; in other words, the short sentences did not bother me.
A quick read.

This book was a lot. It had an overbearing, conspiracy theorist dad who “homeschooled“ his daughter. The book went through the journey of his daughter, Lark, in learning about the world and uncovering the truth about all the things her father had told her. It deals with depression, anxiety, growing up, and touches on late learning or possibly even a learning disability without calling it out.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s very quotable. It filled me with rage at times, but during others I was so proud of Lark. I would definitely recommend this to high school readers who might be struggling with figuring out who they are separate from their parents. While some of the topics may seem heavy, it really gives great insight into how a young person might think about, and deal with, a newfound sense of self and distrust of their parents.

While I wish there would’ve been a happier ending for Lark and her parents relationship, I really admire her bravery and decision in the end about public school and learning about the government and different events on her own. I loved her excitement for learning throughout the book as she started going to school and really embraced it. Overall this book is definitely worth a read. It’s a quick, new point of view that is not often written about, and it’s it’s an important topic.

Where to start?

This book is honestly one of the best books I have ever read. I started it against my better judgment, around 11pm one evening. I finished it around 3am. From start to finish, I was enthralled. I couldn't put it down!

The beginning immediately draws you in with a scared "Oh no!" feeling, which quickly subsides to a more sympathetic "Oh, no." feeling.

Lark's journey from beginning to end is written in a way that is believable without making the secondary characters seem like caricatures. I found myself angry with her father, while also sympathizing with him. It takes skill to create a character such as that.

I did want her mother fleshed out a little more. I wanted more of when her symptoms started, how did Lark's father feel about it, etc.

Overall, however, this was a gripping novel that sticks with you long after the final page is read!

This was a really good quick read that had me turning pages so quick to find out what happened next! I loved the little romance as well and the hidden darkness through out

I liked this book. I thought it was well-written and I liked following along Lark's journey as she discovers that her parents have been lying to her for her entire life. I really admired Lark's determination and how she developed a love of learning despite initially barely being able to read at fifteen,