I was excited to read this because I haven’t read much LGBTQIAP+ MG. I expected f/f fluff, but that’s not what this novel is about. This is a story of loss, resilience, family, friendship, art, and discovering yourself.

First of all, Ivy Aberdeen deserves a hug. She went through so much physically and emotionally, and she was forced to grow up faster when a tornado destroyed her family’s house. She was twelve, so her voice was understandably young, but it was also strong. She overcame so many obstacles, some tougher than others and over a longer time period, and again, I just wanted to give her a hug.

This book skillfully tackles many complex, flawed relationships. Each member of Ivy’s family dealt with losing their home in a different way, and they challenged each other. Ivy had twin baby brothers, and as the middle child she resented her younger siblings for further complicating everything but still loved her family. This was an interesting dynamic, unlike others I’ve read before, and I think it was written really well.

Ivy also had complications with her best friend Taryn and her new friend June. She distanced herself from Taryn after losing her house and beginning to question her identity, and also had to balance that with her crush on June. It was a mess at times, but that’s okay. It fits with the rest of the story, and again, I think it was really written well.

This is the first MG novel I’ve read (though I’m sure there are others, or will be soon) where the protagonist is figuring out their sexuality. I liked this because it shows that no one is too young to be questioning. In doing so, it also called out heteronormative stereotypes.

One of my favorite things was that Ivy had a sort of mentor to help her through this part of her life and give encouragement. Robin was a gay black woman engaged to a bisexual woman, and she was very kind, almost motherly to Ivy when she needed it. Toward the end, Ivy also had help from her older sister’s best friend Gigi, who was gay as well. The presence of LGBTQIAP+ side characters had a positive impact on Ivy and even the story as a whole.

I wouldn’t call this book a favorite, but it was surprisingly impactful. It was enjoyable and it’s very relevant to modern society. I hope more people read it and spread its messages. ❤️