4.5 stars

I enjoyed this so much more than I thought I would. Villasante wrote a wonderful, emotional story about sisters, immigration, trauma, and love. Ana Osorio did a brilliant job narrating and, honestly, the audiobook made my reading experience even better.

I love Marisol and Gabi’s relationship; Marisol wants the best for Gabi and tries to be a parent since their mother didn’t come to the United States with them. But the two sisters are still friends, and they care about each other even when they don’t get along. It was wholesome yet realistic and I liked it.

You know what else was wholesome? Marisol and Rey’s romance. The two of them are so cute! They bond over cliché TV shows and the struggles of their pasts. They don’t heal one another, for that I’m thankful, but each plays a part in the other’s healing. Unfortunately their actual relationship is only in the last handful of chapters, meaning I don’t get as much sweet sapphic content as I would’ve liked. But they’re still cute and I still love them.

There’s so much more to The Grief Keeper than I can say, elements I don’t feel are in my lane to discuss. Though there are heartwarming moments, it’s also a very poignant read.

I can see myself buying a copy of this book and maybe even rereading it in the future. If you’re even slightly interested in this, I highly recommend it.

Representation:
• Salvadoran protagonist & family
• Lesbian protagonist & love interest
• Indian-American side character
• Some other side characters of color

CW: death, grief, PTSD, discussion of gang violence, homophobia, threats of sexual assault