For a book about a girl whose sister wants a medically assisted death, this book is quite hilarious 😅😂 I was expecting one of those heartfelt, gut-punching YA contemporaries that makes me want to curl up in bed, and don’t get me wrong: this book definitely has those heartwarming moments that make you contemplate life, but for the most part, I found myself cackling. Indigo’s family is full of clearly rendered characters and charming antics, and even though Indigo feels completely misunderstood by most of them, she’s an awesome sister that would do anything for her family, especially her twin. This book strikes a perfect balance of heart and humor, but above all else, it’s a subversively hopeful novel.

This is a solid YA contemporary that deals with soooooooo much, including: messy friendships and evolving relationships, transphobia within the queer community, the difficulties and intersections of having multiple marginalized identities, and questioning your identity when you think you've figured it out. Felix is a Messy AF™️ character, and that made me love him even more. I love the curious conversations that he and his group of friends have throughout the book. Teens are definitely having the hard conversations, whether society wants to acknowledge this or not, because they are not too young to know their own identity, sexuality, and beliefs. I like how it was completely okay that Felix didn't have all the answers, but he was trying to make do with the information he had. This is the second Kacen Callender book I have read and enjoyed, and I'm looking forward to reading the other works of theirs that I have in my collection!

The pacing in the beginning of this was a bit wonky for me. Once we got into the part where he was in high school and onto college, I realized that perhaps I would've enjoyed the beginning more had his childhood been delivered throughout the novel as flashbacks that give context. The later 60% of the book, however, was pretty solid and more than made up for the slow pacing in the beginning. There were definitely some lines that hit me in the gut, and I think telling this story in verse was a smart move. I definitely recommend!

This is a romance that starts as two people who can't stand one another having to take a road trip together that morphs into them becoming friends-with-benefits, whilst dealing with how being with the other person makes them step outside their comfort zone. I enjoyed the banter and the character development that ensued, especially for our character of Jolene. I look forward to reading more works by this author.