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aliciasokol's review
5.0
What made this a 5 ⭐️ book for me: the protagonist, 10-year old Kenyatta (KB). I just fell in love with her in a way I rarely do with a character. This little Black girl has weathered a lot in her short life - the book opens with her finding her daddy dead from a drug overdose. She’s sent with her big sister to live with their granddaddy in another town for the summer while her mother takes some time away. KB’s story is told with such curiosity, innocence and heart. She wants to understand all the adult secrets, though the adults in her life try to protect her with hushed tones. I just wanted to take her in my arms and hold her tight. The story takes a hard look at parent-child relationships (complicated, fraught, full of unintended mistakes and consequences), sibling relationships (also tumultuous) and how we choose to move in the world when we’ve been hurt by others. I’ll admit I saw a bit of myself as a girl in KB, mostly in her love of books and her desire to understand the world around her. I in no way endured the kind of trauma in my own childhood that this character endures. I didn’t have a granddaddy of my own, but I saw flashes of my own father in granddaddy’s loving demeanor with her. Just beautiful.
runningonwords415's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
hellonursej's review
3.0
This one took me a while to get through… I didn’t feel attachment to any characters at any point while reading it. Didn’t love it… Wouldn’t recommend.
v_dud's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
jenwinnell's review
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.25
tamsbooks's review
4.0
This is a beautifully written debut novel. Seen through the perspective of 10 year old Kenyatta or KB for short. She and her sister are sent to stay with their estranged grandpa. As the summer unfolds she comes to terms with all that is happening in her young life. This coming of age book is really worth the read.
megshomelibrary's review
4.0
I really liked this author and loved following the thought process of the young narrator. I quickly forgot how young she was as she started dealing with situations that no one so young should have to deal with. The way she desperately wanted closeness to her sister but always felt her sister push away reminded me of how my sister and I clashed growing up. It was so nice to see that change for KB over time.
melissareads's review against another edition
emotional
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
4.25