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jrae_miller's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I kept having to remind myself that this is a book for middle schoolers, but even then it felt lackluster and not as mysterious as the author had intended. The pacing of finding the letters seemed off (why did they have to go on a big hunt for the last but not the second? ) and even the letters themselves didn't love up to the promises made in the summary: I was expecting something a lot more groundbreaking, especially given the contents.
That said, I do think that Brie's mixed feelings about her parents, grieving, friends, etc. are relatable, and kids dealing with death of a parent would probably find comfort in this book. It just wasn't for me.
That said, I do think that Brie's mixed feelings about her parents, grieving, friends, etc. are relatable, and kids dealing with death of a parent would probably find comfort in this book. It just wasn't for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Dementia and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Cancer and Terminal illness
jaz_gets_literary's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
We meet Brie as she wakes up on her 12th birthday. She’s in for a lot of surprises today. Starting with her birthday party. Everyone’s these except mama, who passed away from cancer when Brie was 9 and her dad, who never seems to be around. Brie gets to her last present, a box from her mom who wrote letters to send them on one last adventure together. Will these letters help Brie heal with the loss of her mom and maybe even help her know why her dad has been so distant since her death?
My heart strings tugged for Brie the entire book. She’s still grieving her mom’s death from 3 years earlier while also feeling like she’s not good enough for her father because he’s never around. I didn’t like the all the adults kept making excuses for him especially why he didn’t show up for her birthday. Which obviously wasn’t the first one he missed. Brie’s relationship with her friends and Brim was sweet and they were there for her when others were not. When Brie’s father finally comes around and sits down to speak with her, she starts telling him about things her mom did to embarrass her when he asked why she was upset. I get that she had found out what he did which was nice but she still had a lot of reasons why she was and should be upset with her father and it wasn’t discussed between them. That discussion would have been great for the development in their relationship. It just feels like she forgave him with no true explanation or apology for why he’s been acting how he has since her mother passed.
I really enjoyed the audiobook of this and look forward to reading more from this author.
My heart strings tugged for Brie the entire book. She’s still grieving her mom’s death from 3 years earlier while also feeling like she’s not good enough for her father because he’s never around. I didn’t like the all the adults kept making excuses for him especially why he didn’t show up for her birthday. Which obviously wasn’t the first one he missed. Brie’s relationship with her friends and Brim was sweet and they were there for her when others were not. When Brie’s father finally comes around and sits down to speak with her, she starts telling him about things her mom did to embarrass her when he asked why she was upset. I get that she had found out what he did which was nice but she still had a lot of reasons why she was and should be upset with her father and it wasn’t discussed between them. That discussion would have been great for the development in their relationship. It just feels like she forgave him with no true explanation or apology for why he’s been acting how he has since her mother passed.
I really enjoyed the audiobook of this and look forward to reading more from this author.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Grief
Minor: Cancer
lettuce_read's review against another edition
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Grief
Moderate: Cancer, Emotional abuse, and Dementia
nbreezy17's review against another edition
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Cancer, and Dementia
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