A quick, entertaining read. I recognize it is geared for young adults and teenagers, but some of the scenes between the main character Esther and her friends are a little dramatic and over the top. What's not dramatic, however, is the reality of shame surrounding teenage pregnancy and conservative families - this was highlighted nicely as the idea that we all have flaws/"truths" whether it's the difficulty Esther faces in letting go of her baby, or the secret rendezvous between church official and underage student. Loved the names of the characters in the book and the presumed cultural diversity of the characters based on their names and descriptions. Overall, felt a little surface for my taste, but an enjoyable read.

<3 & love that it was set in NM!

Blurb: "Pondering math problems is Esther Ainsworth’s obsession. If only life’s puzzles required logic. Her stepfather’s solution? Avoidance. He’s exiled the family to Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, to erase a big secret from Esther’s past. She finds new friends: Jesús from the local coffee bar; a girl named Color who finds beauty in an abandoned video store; Beth, the church choir outcast; and Moss, a boy with alluring possibilities. Together, they hit the road to face Esther’s past head-on."

I don't like math, never better than a C- in the subject, but I loved Esther's math jokes and her calculations.

She and her friends were interesting because they had their own personalities and problems without defaulting to stereotypes and clichés. The dialogue was believable as were most of the reactions. The themes of friendship, first love, and family conflicts are involved in this story as well.

I had a problem with this part of the blurb "they hit the road to face Esther's past head-on." This doesn't happen until the very end and the scene was a let down after all the hints dropped throughout the story (too many IMO).

I enjoyed reading this book, it caught and kept my attention although at times I did want to skip some parts near the end. It just got slow,but it transitioned back pretty quick.

I feel like this is definitely geared more towards the younger crowd maybe late teens . I could however understand all sides of the story, mom, Hannah, and Esther. I think it was beautifully written and captured and painted exactly how someone would feel in the situation Esther was in. I think Hannah was written extremely well too.

Without saying too much, Esther is a character that I think we all can relate to, maybe not her exact story but what she's going through trying to find who she is. Hannah is a character I think we can relate to also in ,wanting to be seen and valued.

All the other characters you meet along the way will strike a chord right in your heart and you will find yourself loving them and rooting for them,wanting to care for them the way they all deserve.

All in all it was a good read, a semi easy read, I read it in like 3 days but I also homeschool 3 kids so I imagine someone with more time would finish it more quickly.

I found Esther to be extremely annoying and selfish, making it frustrating to read. It didn't make sense to me how unemphatic she was to her sister and mother. The math equations/riddles also did nothing for me. Her friendships were interesting, specifically when they talked about identity. Overall, a mostly boring and lots of cliches.

3.5 stars. While reading it I objectively knew that I wasn't reading the best book ever written, yet at the same time, I kept turning the pages wanting to find out what happened next. Would appeal to the angsty, outcast teen in all of us.

Pure magic

Sometimes you find the exact book you want to read and enjoy every lady page. So thankful for every single time that's happened. Especially this one.

A truly enjoyable young adult novel. I love the way Esther's circle of friends is formed and how that friendship supports and sustains each of them. Each friend is unique and likeable. And the unexpected storyline between Esther and her younger sister, Hannah, adds another dimension and richness to the story. Very relatable.

It seems really short, but maybe that’s because. Read it on my phone. Like 2.5 stars really. It’s simple but cute.

I chose this YA novel from the October selection of Amazon First Reads as it caught my attention and looked the most interesting one on offer. I can happily say I really did enjoy this book.

This is the story of Esther, her sister Hannah and their mother and stepfather who have recently moved to New Mexico to escape a 'situation'. I liked the character of Esther and felt that the author described the trauma felt by Esther due to the 'situation'.

Esther's new friends sound like the type of friends a girl needs.  The author has penned a very good story bringing so many individual characters together in this way. There are many lessons to be learnt and talking points for a parent to discuss with their child should they read this book together, including religion, seeking answers, letting go, growing up, loss and learning that sometimes life just doesn't go to plan.

I definitely recommend this book - for anyone not just those Young Adults among us. There were a number of fantastic quotes or sayings that I have jotted down for future use!

Thank you to Amazon First Reads, Skyscape and Rebekah Crane for the opportunity to read and review this novel prior to publication.