Tag: feelings and emotions

REVIEW: The Flipside of Perfect by Liz Reinhardt

REVIEW: The Flipside of Perfect by Liz Reinhardt

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Inkyard Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

When Della heads home to Michigan after her summer with her dad and older siblings in Florida, she feels torn. It was a hard summer after the death of Nan Sunny. And now Dell is about to start high school alone, with her older siblings in Florida and her younger sisters still at Trinity. But Dell’s mother misunderstands the struggle and suggests she stop going to Florida. So Dell decides she just has to be extra awesome at compartmentalizing her life. In Michigan, she’s AJ, the uber-responsible daughter, perfect sister, and top notch student leader. In the summers, she can relax and be Della, the baby of the family who is free to cut loose.

Three years later, AJ has become a pro at her double life. But she doesn’t love how it feels. As she approaches her senior year of high school, the pressure is mounting. Her parents in Michigan are pushing internships and extracurriculars that threaten her time in Florida. Her father’s business in Florida is struggling, and Della keeps butting heads with his teen employee. But as life starts to crumble for one of Della’s younger sisters and she is sent to Florida, Della’s two worlds are about to collide.

Review

This had a slow, slow start for me. It made the book feel twice as long as it really was. I was maybe 1/3 or more into it before things started to click. I needed AJ to get to a place where she was honestly appraising her dual life – and the reasons for it – while also digging into what it was costing her. Once that happened, I was hooked. And once her younger sister arrived in Florida and pushed AJ’s self-evaluation that much deeper, I couldn’t put the book down.

I’m so glad I didn’t give up on this early on. I ended up adoring this book. The characters are a delight – even the one who annoyed me early on. There are fantastic messages woven in about emotional health and maturity, communication, therapy, and identity. The core pieces about family and siblings are lovely. Really, there are almost too many terrific pieces to list them all – romance, humor, self-discovery. So satisfying in the end.

Pick this one up! If it feels slow at first, stick with it. This was so good, I would read it again! (Language, LGBTQ+, sexual references, underage drinking, teen pregnancy)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: The List of Things that Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead

REVIEW: The List of Things that Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Random House/Wendy Lamb Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

When Bea was 8, her parents sat her down to tell her that her dad was gay and they were getting a divorce. At the same time, they gave her a notebook. Inside they had made a list – The List of Things that Will Not Change. It included affirmations of love from both of her parents as well as a reminder that they were still a family, even if the family looked different in the future.

Now that Bea’s dad and Jesse are getting married, Bea is thrilled with the idea that she is going to finally have a sister. Jesse’s daughter, Sonia, is Bea’s age. She lives in California, but after Christmas she’ll be visiting New York for a week. Bea is certain they’ll become the best of friends and that Sonia will be as happy as she is.

But as the wedding gets closer, Bea discovers that different people, and different families, can have complicated feelings about big changes. And she discovers she has some complicated feelings herself.

Review

This was delightful! I adored Bea from the very beginning. She is creative and insightful and completely realistic for her age. The entire cast of characters is fantastic. No one is perfect or perfectly happy. There are complex situations and complex feelings. But the adults are committed to Bea and Sonia and to supporting one another. And Bea’s friends are a great support for her.

My favorite relationship in the whole book is Bea’s relationship with her therapist. It’s matter-of-fact and never something for her to be self-conscious about. Bea is honest about places where she holds back. She listens to what Miriam says, even if she isn’t sure Miriam is right. The whole thing is SO well done.

Because the relationship between Bea and Miriam is so strong, there are a ton of great pieces here about feelings and emotions – anger, emotions that can be masked by anger, acting on our feelings, dealing with worries, and imagining the feelings of others. I loved all of it!

The relationship between Bea’s dad and his boyfriend is great. Each has his own “voice” and way of relating to Bea that feels realistic. I especially loved Jesse’s relationship with Bea.

Not everyone in the book is on board with the gay relationship, which adds to some of the conflict in the book. It’s painful to watch, but also honest . And the book gives Bea space to process that.

There are SO MANY rich things that could be done with this book in a classroom setting – read-alouds with discussion, book groups, etc. But I think kids will also love just spending time with Bea and her friends and family, soaking up all the goodness here. Fans of Rebecca Stead should not miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½