(Won through a Goodreads giveaway! Thank you to Flatiron Books for sending me a free copy.)

Marlowe is a terrific protagonist, self-aware and sensitive and snarky, with a relatable struggle to figure out who she is and what exactly she believes in; her little brother Pip is adorable, unabashedly imaginative and affectionate (and he’s at an age where’s he’s becoming his own person without having outgrown hero-worshipping his older sister, which hit me right in the feels); their mother is a fiercely feminist vegan activist, and clearly means well but doesn’t always make the best choice; Zan is the badass gay Chinese-Australian best friend I wish I had (though I’m mildly curious how the author named her and her brothers, Chao and Jian); Leo is a bit of a cliche (boy next door, antagonist-to-friend, butcher’s son/apprentice to Marlowe’s vegan’s daughter) but still so cute and such a fun guy; and all the other characters are vivid and complex and memorable.

The plot isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s told well — multifaceted, considerate of everyone’s perspectives (although Marlowe’s is the first-person POV), focused enough on emotion to make you care about the journey even though you know where it’ll ultimately end up.