I absolutely loved this book when I was a kid and it was wonderful to see how well it still holds up. This book feels magical to me. As a depressed kid/young teen, it was so helpful to see a main character like Abby who was depressed and didn't have a support system, but could still work on figuring things out herself.

This book is told in epistolary format with letters, fake conversation, essays, and pretty much anything else Abby rights over the course of months. It's an interesting way to get to know her not only because you're seeing her innermost thoughts, but also how she presents herself in letters to her sister, not always truthfully. Or how she remembers her past and what memories stand out to her. It's such a short read, but manages to be so incredibly impactful.

I love how realistic this book is. It's not a picture perfect happy ending, but neither is it constant drama and pain. Abby has an abusive father and an overall dysfunctional family, but it's done in such a small way. It feels real. It doesn't feel like melodrama for a story, but rather just her life. I love reading books that do feel small and realistic and like every day kind of lives.

I'd highly recommend picking this one up. It's a bit old, but will forever be one of my favorites. I've read some of Susan Beth Pfeffer's other books and while they're quite good as well, this is by far my favorite. I connected so much with Abby as a kid and rereading it as an adult just reinforced that.