Sam@WLABB
Written on Jun 12, 2019
CJ knew she would never live up to her mother's expectations. She had tried, and failed, at a myriad of endeavors, but the one thing she had some pride in was her work at the family flower shop. Unfortunately, the business was on the brink of collapsing, and if CJ and her aunt Hannah were unable to turn it around, her mother would be selling the shop. As CJ tried to breathe new life into the business, she discovered a lot of things about herself and her history, which would greatly impact her future.
I was so captivated by this book. Sugiura did an incredible job combining an honest look at the ugly things in America's past and present with family drama and everyday teen life. She tackled a wide array of social issues, but did so with such care and finesse, that it played out in a natural and organic manner. The cast of characters in this book were quite diverse, and I think the diversity was used well to explore each issue from multiple points of view.
Sugiura's writing style contributed greatly to my enjoyment of this book, as well.First and foremost, I loved CJ. I found her to be so unapologetically honest and raw. She was flawed, as were almost all the major players in this book, but she was becoming a better version of herself with each new discovery. The way the author utilized flashbacks and wove in historical facts was also a plus. The small breaks in the narrative were well timed and well placed, making the story even better.
There are so many things to love about CJ's story, but in the name of brevity, I will do a quick list of delights for me:
• Flower magic! I thought it was fantastic learning about all the different qualities associated with the various flora.
• Owen's geeky history t-shirts - I immediately googled many of these, and am ordering one for my sister (she's a history teacher).
• Female friendship - Em and CJ hits some bumps, but their friendship ran deep.
• The exploration of family dynamics - the relationships between CJ & her mom, CJ and her aunt, and her aunt and her mom were all pretty complicated. It was interesting to see how each of these women were shaped by their past, as well as how they shaped each other.
• An adorable romance - There are multiple romances in this book, and I really liked the way they all played out.
There was a quote, at the end of the book, which I thought was beautiful and did a great job of summing up the essence of this story. I felt this book was about working through the past, learning from mistakes, and taking steps to make sure the future will be better.
There's no point in dwelling on the past, but you can acknowledge it and try to make things better. Or try a new way, and know that this time will be different.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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