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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
When Teo's brother Manny comes home from a tour of duty, he's not who he was before. Not a bit. But it's their sister Xochitl who decides it's time to deal with both Manny's challenges -- and T's own struggles -- by taking them from their rental by SeaTac down to Hatch, New Mexico, where they'll spend the summer helping Manny find treatment for his PTSD with their uncle who himself struggles post-service.
T as a character is totally fascinating. He's grown up in both sides of the economy: his family had steady middle class comfort until the economic collapse, wherein they let their home go underwater and moved into a rental unit. His parents took jobs well below their educational and experience levels just to make ends meet. As a result, T himself has sort of allowed himself to coast by on Cs and Ds. That is, until the day he meets Wendy, a girl from his past who talks about wanting to attend UW. Suddenly, T is motivated to change his ways and try to get into the school, too. He tries, getting into a special track at his school for those with potential who need the boost, and despite trying, he struggles. But he works with a tutor and finds that when he puts his mind to it, he IS as smart as he thinks he can be.
It's the road trip that changes everything, though. Suddenly, T and his siblings are in New Mexico, and they're joined by Wendy. . . who is there to help T study and rebuild the farm stand at his uncle's place. (It is, of course, also so they can reconnect and bond).
There's a LOT going on in this book, but it all works. This family loves one another, despite how much they're struggling with Manny's PTSD and the ways it impacts their own mental health. It's about how people sometimes put their dreams on hold to help others achieve theirs.
It's extremely rare to see a YA road trip book featuring a cast of characters of color. This is one of them, and this does a damn good job of looking at SO many aspects of a person's experience. Race, ethnicity, class, and education all play in smoothly. It also digs into healthcare and the ways that, during the book's timeframe (2008-2009), the VA wasn't a place that made mental health care for returning vets a priority or even accessible at all.
So many teens will see themselves in this story.
T as a character is totally fascinating. He's grown up in both sides of the economy: his family had steady middle class comfort until the economic collapse, wherein they let their home go underwater and moved into a rental unit. His parents took jobs well below their educational and experience levels just to make ends meet. As a result, T himself has sort of allowed himself to coast by on Cs and Ds. That is, until the day he meets Wendy, a girl from his past who talks about wanting to attend UW. Suddenly, T is motivated to change his ways and try to get into the school, too. He tries, getting into a special track at his school for those with potential who need the boost, and despite trying, he struggles. But he works with a tutor and finds that when he puts his mind to it, he IS as smart as he thinks he can be.
It's the road trip that changes everything, though. Suddenly, T and his siblings are in New Mexico, and they're joined by Wendy. . . who is there to help T study and rebuild the farm stand at his uncle's place. (It is, of course, also so they can reconnect and bond).
There's a LOT going on in this book, but it all works. This family loves one another, despite how much they're struggling with Manny's PTSD and the ways it impacts their own mental health. It's about how people sometimes put their dreams on hold to help others achieve theirs.
It's extremely rare to see a YA road trip book featuring a cast of characters of color. This is one of them, and this does a damn good job of looking at SO many aspects of a person's experience. Race, ethnicity, class, and education all play in smoothly. It also digs into healthcare and the ways that, during the book's timeframe (2008-2009), the VA wasn't a place that made mental health care for returning vets a priority or even accessible at all.
So many teens will see themselves in this story.
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
it was difficult to read at times bc of the content but overall a nice story
Graded By: Stephanie
Cover Story: Montell Jordan
BFF Charm: Platinum
Swoonworthy Scale: 7
Talky Talk: Deceptively Simple
Bonus Factors: Amazing Friends, Tasty Business, Siblings
Factor: Lost Optimism
Anti-Bonus Factor: War
Relationship Status: I’ll Stand By You
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Montell Jordan
BFF Charm: Platinum
Swoonworthy Scale: 7
Talky Talk: Deceptively Simple
Bonus Factors: Amazing Friends, Tasty Business, Siblings
Factor: Lost Optimism
Anti-Bonus Factor: War
Relationship Status: I’ll Stand By You
Read the full book report here.
I attempted to start this about a year ago and never got through it, so I rented the audiobook to listen to while painting.
First things first.
What I liked:
The characters were great, I was really rooting for them all. I really liked Xochitl, I thought Manny was very well written, but I related the most to Teodoro, I liked the way the author described academics and it made me, much like Teodoro, want to try my hardest at school.
I thought the romance was cute and I loved that it wasn’t the main focus of the story.
I really appreciate how the author handled PTSD.
And damn did it make me want green chiles.
What I disliked:
I thought the story was rushed in some places.
I think the title is a little misleading since the “Road Trip” was only a small part of the story.
Over all a good story. I rate it 3.5/5
First things first.
What I liked:
The characters were great, I was really rooting for them all. I really liked Xochitl, I thought Manny was very well written, but I related the most to Teodoro, I liked the way the author described academics and it made me, much like Teodoro, want to try my hardest at school.
I thought the romance was cute and I loved that it wasn’t the main focus of the story.
I really appreciate how the author handled PTSD.
And damn did it make me want green chiles.
What I disliked:
I thought the story was rushed in some places.
I think the title is a little misleading since the “Road Trip” was only a small part of the story.
Over all a good story. I rate it 3.5/5
A heartbreaking, yet ultimately hopeful, story about the effects of war on the people who go to fight it, both the ones who come home and those who don’t, and the families they leave behind and come back to. I cried so many times while listening to this book. I was angry and sad for pretty much everyone.
I was mad for Teodoro, when Xochitl kept lying to him and dragging him further and further onto this road trip. In the end, I understand why she did it, but at the time, it felt like if she had just *asked* T, he might have chosen to go with them. But maybe that’s part of the growth he goes through during the book. He always loved his family, and wanted his brother back, but when he finally opened up about everything he had been feeling and going through is when he started making deeper, more meaningful connections.
I was a little annoyed with Wendy when she initially breaks things off with T. Clearly they have a strong connection, and she cares about him a lot, and surely she understands everything he’s been going through, and why he lied and hid things when he did. But Wendy doesn’t live in T’s head like we do as readers, and she can’t know those things until he tells her. Ultimately, I think pulling back romantically and becoming more open and honest helped them build a stronger connection.
Everything Manny is dealing with is so overwhelming. His PTSD and TBIs have had such an overwhelming affect on him, it’s impossible to overstate how much war changed him. And as hard as it is as readers to hear about it, I can’t even imagine the heartache and trauma caused by watching someone you love go through that, to try to take his own life, to live with the pressure of being the only thing standing between life and death for him. I don’t blame T for needing space from him to focus on school, and eventually for going to counseling to help deal with the trauma. You can feel the love this family has for one another with every word and every breath of this book.
Xochitl is the rock at the center of this family. This woman saw her broken older brother, and knew she couldn’t help him on her own, so she found a way. She might have been underhanded in how she got T to go with them, but she was doing it for a good cause, to save their brother. She made the plans, and was willing to sacrifice her future to do her best by Manny. I was so happy when T was able to step in and figure out a solution that kept Manny with someone to watch him but also allowed Xoch to thrive, with her music that touched so many. I tried to be mad at T snooping in her email and songs, but after what she pulled to get him down to New Mexico, it felt like an appropriate response - T and Manny meddling to make sure Xoch didn’t miss out on her big future.
This book feels especially important as more and more soldiers return from war and we realize how significant the effects of PTSD and TBIs are. The PTSD and family resources at the end are especially valuable. It surprises me how few reviews this has - hopefully as time goes on, knowledge of it will grow. I wish I had written done some of the quotes I especially liked. Normally I’ll look on goodreads after I’m done reading and find them, but only one quote has been pulled so far.
I was mad for Teodoro, when Xochitl kept lying to him and dragging him further and further onto this road trip. In the end, I understand why she did it, but at the time, it felt like if she had just *asked* T, he might have chosen to go with them. But maybe that’s part of the growth he goes through during the book. He always loved his family, and wanted his brother back, but when he finally opened up about everything he had been feeling and going through is when he started making deeper, more meaningful connections.
I was a little annoyed with Wendy when she initially breaks things off with T. Clearly they have a strong connection, and she cares about him a lot, and surely she understands everything he’s been going through, and why he lied and hid things when he did. But Wendy doesn’t live in T’s head like we do as readers, and she can’t know those things until he tells her. Ultimately, I think pulling back romantically and becoming more open and honest helped them build a stronger connection.
Everything Manny is dealing with is so overwhelming. His PTSD and TBIs have had such an overwhelming affect on him, it’s impossible to overstate how much war changed him. And as hard as it is as readers to hear about it, I can’t even imagine the heartache and trauma caused by watching someone you love go through that, to try to take his own life, to live with the pressure of being the only thing standing between life and death for him. I don’t blame T for needing space from him to focus on school, and eventually for going to counseling to help deal with the trauma. You can feel the love this family has for one another with every word and every breath of this book.
Xochitl is the rock at the center of this family. This woman saw her broken older brother, and knew she couldn’t help him on her own, so she found a way. She might have been underhanded in how she got T to go with them, but she was doing it for a good cause, to save their brother. She made the plans, and was willing to sacrifice her future to do her best by Manny. I was so happy when T was able to step in and figure out a solution that kept Manny with someone to watch him but also allowed Xoch to thrive, with her music that touched so many. I tried to be mad at T snooping in her email and songs, but after what she pulled to get him down to New Mexico, it felt like an appropriate response - T and Manny meddling to make sure Xoch didn’t miss out on her big future.
This book feels especially important as more and more soldiers return from war and we realize how significant the effects of PTSD and TBIs are. The PTSD and family resources at the end are especially valuable. It surprises me how few reviews this has - hopefully as time goes on, knowledge of it will grow. I wish I had written done some of the quotes I especially liked. Normally I’ll look on goodreads after I’m done reading and find them, but only one quote has been pulled so far.
YA contemporary just isn't resonating with me like it used to.
This book was confusing and kinda boring. I picked this book up as a blind sort of thing were I didn’t know what it was about and it was a let down for sure. Boring plot and characters weren’t developed enough.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
All the stars for this beautiful, phenomenal, amazing, touching, heartbreaking, inspiring story. I have always had a soft spot for road trips, and this was definitely one of my favorite books. I cried, I felt my heart ache, and I never wanted this incredible story to end. There was so much that I loved- the road trip element, how Teodoro and Wendy loved each other so much, how Teodoro wanted to turn his life around, how feisty Xochitl was and how much she cared about her family, the effort that she went to to make sure Manny turned his life around and to make sure they came together as a family. And then they returned the favor by sending her on the tour. Xochitl and Teodoro sacrificed so much for their families. I've read books before where people have passed away, and where there is struggling and grief in families, but this book felt so different and I felt so impacted by it. I felt like I was standing right there on Tío Ed's chile farm with the Avilas, and that I was living their story. This book really hit home for me. It was a beautiful story of perseverance and the effect of PTSD on veterans, as well as love, family, and working for your future. I can't recommend this book enough. It was fantastic.
All the stars for this beautiful, phenomenal, amazing, touching, heartbreaking, inspiring story. I have always had a soft spot for road trips, and this was definitely one of my favorite books. I cried, I felt my heart ache, and I never wanted this incredible story to end. There was so much that I loved- the road trip element, how Teodoro and Wendy loved each other so much, how Teodoro wanted to turn his life around, how feisty Xochitl was and how much she cared about her family, the effort that she went to to make sure Manny turned his life around and to make sure they came together as a family. And then they returned the favor by sending her on the tour. Xochitl and Teodoro sacrificed so much for their families. I've read books before where people have passed away, and where there is struggling and grief in families, but this book felt so different and I felt so impacted by it. I felt like I was standing right there on Tío Ed's chile farm with the Avilas, and that I was living their story. This book really hit home for me. It was a beautiful story of perseverance and the effect of PTSD on veterans, as well as love, family, and working for your future. I can't recommend this book enough. It was fantastic.
Heavy topics such as PTSD, Suicide, and just general teenager stress could make this book heavy, but it's broken up nicely by the relationships the main character experiences. Sprinkled with just the right amount of humor, cute interactions, seriousness, and depth. I really enjoyed watching T interact with his crush, figuring out his place in helping his older brother. I found the way T's thoughts about his place were so on point. Teenagers in general are the center of their own universe (not that I'm saying that's bad...that's just how it is, right?), and T definitely experiences those types of thoughts, and then is quite dramatically brought to the realization that it isn't all about him. It's a great read.