CW: mental health, suicide

I thought this was going to be a 5 star read for the first 2/3s of the book. I loved the intergenerational relationships along with the concept of the book lists, and how they were bringing people together. The characters were all developing so wonderfully. BUT THEN. I understand why something in Aliesha's life had to give, and I was fully prepared for something traumatic to happen, but the route Adams chose to go left a real sour taste in my mouth.

Spoiler

Aiden's death was the easy thing for Adams to do. She may defend it by saying she was trying to be realistic or whatever, but honestly it was the easiest way to bring Aliesha's story to its climatic height. And I say that because it wasn't handled at well. Yes, there were hints he wasn't entirely ok. I assumed that he was involved in something illegal-either as a way to earn or more money or because he was turning to drugs for escape. He was so tired I thought he might have an accident at work or crash his car. It was clear the trauma was going to come from something happening to Aiden and not their mom. But when we finally got to where that was leading, I literally slammed the book down. And then it just kept getting worse. Having a character commit suicide and it actually FIXES problems he was trying to solve that were making him so desperate is the height of disgusting. I was uncomfortable from the moment his death happened to the end. NOW their uncle and cousin arrive to help. NOW their mom is willing to see a doctor. It is dangerous to use suicide as a fix it for the other character's lives. Too many people take their own lives because they see it as exactly that.

Anyway this book had so much potential to be an amazing story that tackled some hard truths in ways that matter. Instead Adams pulled out the trope used too many times by authors who wrote themselves into emotional plot corners they needed a way out of.