Starred Review Colbert (Finding Yvonne, 2018) delivers another poignant coming-of-age tale in her newest novel, which will resonate with teens struggling to balance their own desires with parental expectations. Birdie is successful at being "the perfect daughter," making honor roll and staying out of trouble, until Booker blows into her life. She keeps their whirlwind romance a secret because she knows her strict parents would never accept her dating him. When Birdie's aunt, who struggles with addiction, returns to town, Birdie's life is further complicated. As Birdie grows closer to Booker and her aunt, she has to make decisions about the type of person she wants to be, who she wants to live for, and whose happiness is important. In the midst of this, a huge family secret is exposed that rocks the foundation of Birdie's life. Colbert's latest novel brilliantly delves into first loves, forbidden romance, rebellion, and family expectations l of which teens will strongly relate to. Heavier topics like addiction, trauma, and the ills of juvenile justice system for teens of color are also explored in a refreshingly nuanced way that is handled with intelligence and care. With these topics, Colbert shows that there are two sides to every story and that the people enmeshed in these situations are often victims who need support rather than recrimination. Empowering and empathetic.

African American sixteen-year-old Dove ("Birdie") is on the "right" track, with good grades and a clear life plan chosen by her parents. When Birdie's fresh-from-rehab aunt Carlene arrives, Birdie begins to rebel, including by dating Booker, a kindhearted boy with a difficult past. Vivid dialogue and rich descriptions of the Chicago setting serve the story well. Birdie's believable first-person perspective reflects a protagonist who evolves to trust her own instincts.

Dove "Birdie" Randolph is a 16-year-old black girl working to figure out family, love, and what she really wants in life.The Chicago high school sophomore lives with her mother and father in their apartment above her mother's hair salon; her sister, Mimi, is away at college. Dove's parents have her on a strict academic schedule, and Dove faces a summer constrained by rules with little room for socializing except with her best friend, Lazarus "Laz" Ramos. Recently Dove began sneaking out to see Booker Stratton, a boy she's grown to really like but who has a past her parents would not approve of. Into this setting comes her Aunt Carlene, her mom's sister, who has been rarely seen and even less frequently spoken about. Carlene, an addict who has spent much of her life in and out of rehab, moves in with Dove and her parents, bringing tension into the family, although Dove soon develops a warm connection with her. The exposure of a family secret threatens to derail the tenuous balance. Colbert (Finding Yvonne, 2018, etc.) pens an emotionally gripping tale about family and young love and how they can be your entire world while still being worlds apart. The treatment of topics such as the impact of addiction, racial profiling and discrimination, and sexuality (Mimi and Laz are queer) is skillful and will resonate.Moving and memorable. (Fiction. 13-adult)