Trigger warnings: Addiction is a very large aspect of this book, so be aware of that going in. There's reference to drug and alcohol abuse. There's also on-the-page teen drinking.
Synopsis: Perfect for fans of Nina LaCour and Nicola Yoon comes a novel about first love and family secrets from Stonewall Book Award winner Brandy Colbert.
Dove "Birdie" Randolph works hard to be the perfect daughter and follow the path her parents have laid out for her: She quit playing her beloved soccer, she keeps her nose buried in textbooks, and she's on track to finish high school at the top of her class. But then Birdie falls hard for Booker, a sweet boy with a troubled past...whom she knows her parents will never approve of.
When her estranged aunt Carlene returns to Chicago and moves into the family's apartment above their hair salon, Birdie notices the tension building at home. Carlene is sweet, friendly, and open-minded--she's also spent decades in and out of treatment facilities for addiction. As Birdie becomes closer to both Booker and Carlene, she yearns to spread her wings. But when long-buried secrets rise to the surface, everything she's known to be true is turned upside down.
Review: I love Brandy Colbert's books. The Revolution of Birdie Randolph is her newest release and it follows the story of Birdie as she struggles with academic excellence, as well as hiding her relationship with Booker. I love Birdie. She works so hard at everything she does, but she often gets treated like she isn't doing enough by her mother. One of her biggest personal conflicts is what to do with Booker. She is attracted to him and they have a connection, but she knows her mom won't approve because of his stint in juvie. I liked that she was defensive of her relationship with Booker, but she also knew the risks with getting involved with Booker.
I saw what Brandy was going to do with the story, but it didn't lessen the impact at all. Carlene is another massive part of this story. She is Birdie's aunt who suffers from addiction. I appreciated how Brandy normalized conversations about addiction. From the moment Carlene starts staying with them, Birdie's mom comes in to tell Birdie that her aunt just got out of rehab. Conversations like that don't happen enough. Everyone acts like addiction, regardless of whether it's alcohol, drugs, self-harm, etc, should be treated like an unspoken sin. I have a complicated history with addiction in my family, so I was hesitant to like Carlene at first. I loved seeing more of Booker's background too. He has a past, as many people do, but he is the embodiment of your past not defining you.
This is probably my favorite Brandy Colbert book to date. She does a great job of showing family dynamics and relationships. The only thing I would have wanted more of is a conversation about "perfect family" perception between Birdie and her best friend, Laz.
5 howls
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