You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I struggled to get through this book and ultimately decided to table it. The part of the story I was interested in (her investigation of her sister’s life and death) is consistently on the back burner to prioritize the discussion Julia’s social-emotional struggles and difficult family relationships. I could absolutely see teens connecting with Julia, so it will be on my classroom book shelf for sure, but it wasn’t for me right now. Maybe I will try again another time.
Julia is not the perfect Mexican daughter, she talks back, she starts arguments instead of obeying, she wants to move out and rid herself of her toxic, controlling, abusive mother and passive father. But now that her older, perfect sister has died, Julia has to stay home and fill out the space her sister left behind, all the while investigating the double life her sister led.
Funny, entertaining, well written, and touching YA that also deals with heavy topics (TW/CW for (sexual) violence, abuse, death etc.). Julia is obnoxious but also a delight. It was also great to have a YA main protagonist who isn't stick-thin. Body positivity!!
4 Stars
Funny, entertaining, well written, and touching YA that also deals with heavy topics (TW/CW for (sexual) violence, abuse, death etc.). Julia is obnoxious but also a delight. It was also great to have a YA main protagonist who isn't stick-thin. Body positivity!!
4 Stars
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fascinating book about family, expectations, Mexican culture and the struggle of growing up third culture (wiki def: Third culture kids or third culture individuals are people who were raised in a culture other than their parents' or the culture of their country of nationality, and also live in a different environment during a significant part of their child development years).
This book did an excellent job of portraying a very specific type of person very faithfully and accurately. We see her struggles and successes, her good moments and bad moments. There was no attempt to make Julia more conventionally likable for the sake of telling a feel-good story, and that made her a much more relatable character, in my opinion. Even though this was specifically a story about being the daughter of immigrant parents, I think anyone whose hopes and dreams for themselves were at odds with someone else's expectations will find something here they can relate to.
I'm still unclear as to whether this is YA or not. I think I'm going with 'not'. Some scenes and themes are just too uncomfortable to think about my 15 (or future 16 year old) reading.
I enjoyed the cultural aspects of the book as well as the writing. I appreciated the mental health theme and felt bad that I didn't like or understand the character through most of the book until it was discovered she had depression and was largely the way she was because of it.
I enjoyed the cultural aspects of the book as well as the writing. I appreciated the mental health theme and felt bad that I didn't like or understand the character through most of the book until it was discovered she had depression and was largely the way she was because of it.
Julia is definitely not a perfect Mexican Daughter but Julia's older sister Olga is perfect. Well was. When Olga passes away Julia feels even more pressure to live up to her parents expectations of being the perfect Mexican daughter. But that's just not who Julia is; she wants to have sex, be a writer and live anywhere but Chicago unlike perfect Olga. When Julia finds out that Olga might not have been as perfect as everyone thought she was Julia goes on a mission to find the truth.
When I say this book made me ugly cry I mean I ugly cried. Julia's story is very real for many, especially in the setting of Chicago. It's so well written and has so many layers to the story. A good recommendation for someone looking for a bit of mystery, coming of age, family dynamics, and a truly emotional journey.
When I say this book made me ugly cry I mean I ugly cried. Julia's story is very real for many, especially in the setting of Chicago. It's so well written and has so many layers to the story. A good recommendation for someone looking for a bit of mystery, coming of age, family dynamics, and a truly emotional journey.
This book was just ok for me. I liked the last third of the book much more than the first part of the book. It was very slow and I didn’t particularly feel a connection with the characters. YALSA Top Ten List.
It's so difficult to like the main character, Julia. I've never been so glad to be done with a book.