sunniestories's review
4.0
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3.5* rounded up. this was a charming short story. the tone of voice took a second to get used to, but overall home home was lovely. it's also refreshing to read a story shining a light on the mental health struggles of black girls, something overlooked and dismissed all too often. not all stories are meant to be long i guess but it could've done with a little more breathing room or maybe something like an epilogue, just to give enough space to explore the themes of kayla's story a little more closely.
3.5* rounded up. this was a charming short story. the tone of voice took a second to get used to, but overall home home was lovely. it's also refreshing to read a story shining a light on the mental health struggles of black girls, something overlooked and dismissed all too often. not all stories are meant to be long i guess but it could've done with a little more breathing room or maybe something like an epilogue, just to give enough space to explore the themes of kayla's story a little more closely.
_shari's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
booksofjj's review against another edition
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Feel like there were a lot of missed opportunities in this book. Would have loved to see more development in the relationships instead of it ending when it did.
donnakay's review against another edition
4.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 beautiful stars
I loved this book!!! This story was so adorable and should be read by every person who has ever migrated.
The on-page representation of anxiety and depression, along with an awkward mother-daughter dynamic in a Trinibagonian household, was masterfully done. I was here for the friendship, new beginnings, the Trini lingo/references, the non-linear journey to healing, the teenage girl finding her voice outside of her head, the mother that did what she had to do without complaint, and the family that stepped in to create a safe landing place.
I thought the romance was super sweet, innocent, and appropriate for any teen who reads this book. It gave me flashbacks to that time in my own life.
I felt so seen while reading this novel and experienced a range of emotions, from sadness to cackling out loud!
I couldn't believe my shock when I realized I didn't even know the MCs name until I got to the last page
I loved this book!!! This story was so adorable and should be read by every person who has ever migrated.
The on-page representation of anxiety and depression, along with an awkward mother-daughter dynamic in a Trinibagonian household, was masterfully done. I was here for the friendship, new beginnings, the Trini lingo/references, the non-linear journey to healing, the teenage girl finding her voice outside of her head, the mother that did what she had to do without complaint, and the family that stepped in to create a safe landing place.
I thought the romance was super sweet, innocent, and appropriate for any teen who reads this book. It gave me flashbacks to that time in my own life.
I felt so seen while reading this novel and experienced a range of emotions, from sadness to cackling out loud!
I couldn't believe my shock when I realized I didn't even know the MCs name until I got to the last page
emilybruce's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
katherineharnisch's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I did like the main character, and loved her Aunts Julie and Jillian. I also loved her friends (Akilah and Josh both) and fully understood the complications of her relationship with her mom. I wish this book had been published and I had been able to read it in middle/high school! Looking back on that time period of my life, I don’t remember many books on depression/anxiety where the main character is going through the healing process during the timeframe of the book.
Sometimes this book did feel a bit like the author was trying to make a point a little too overtly (I felt this way when Josh was talking about his mom, his dialogue seemed a bit forced/fake to me for his age). But that didn’t severely detract from the story.
The only other thing I will say is, I don’t think we ever knew the full first name of the main character until the LAST PAGE. Did we know her name was Kayla? Because when I read that sentence I was like, wait who is kayla?? Seems like a major misstep on the author’s part. Nicknames are fine and using the full name can be a powerful tool in showing character growth and development but not when we literally do not know her name.
I’d still recommend! Especially for people wanting to read about depression/anxiety/diaspora in teenagers.
Sometimes this book did feel a bit like the author was trying to make a point a little too overtly (I felt this way when Josh was talking about his mom, his dialogue seemed a bit forced/fake to me for his age). But that didn’t severely detract from the story.
The only other thing I will say is, I don’t think we ever knew the full first name of the main character until the LAST PAGE. Did we know her name was Kayla? Because when I read that sentence I was like, wait who is kayla?? Seems like a major misstep on the author’s part. Nicknames are fine and using the full name can be a powerful tool in showing character growth and development but not when we literally do not know her name.
I’d still recommend! Especially for people wanting to read about depression/anxiety/diaspora in teenagers.
estantedalai's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide attempt and Suicidal thoughts
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Home Home is a short little YA novel about a Trinidadian teenager who suffers from mental health issues and, after a serious incident, is sent to stay with her aunt in Canada. It touches on race and racism, mental health, LGBTIQA+ issues, and especially the different attitudes towards the latter two in Trinidad and Canada. I enjoyed this story for what it was but felt it was too brief to explore the issues fully or with much nuance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Lesbophobia and Racism
Minor: Transphobia
shhh_tamis_reading's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
embem_'s review
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Ein sehr kurzes Buch, das prägnant total wichtige Themen aufgreift und in eine vermutlich etwas stilisierte Welt packt. Es ist spannend zu lesen, wie Depression auch schon im Kindheits- und Jugendalter auftreten kann. Und auch die Vergleiche vom Leben in Trinidad zu dem in Kanada ist (besonders für mich als Außenstehende) interessant zu sehen. Es sind die gängigen Themen und Diskussionen, die in eine runde Geschichte gepackt wurden, die trotz der Kürze des Buchs glaubhaft und detailliert war. Zwischendurch hab ich mich gefragt, wie realistisch die 14-Jährige Protagonistin dargestellt wurde, aber andererseits kann man eben auch nicht alle Menschen (ihrem Alter nach) über einen Kamm scheren. Ich fands schön zu sehen, dass am Ende die Protagonistin gesehen wurde und in ihrem Selbstbewusstsein und ihrer Herangehensweise an ihr Leben - mit Depressionen und Angststörungen - gewachsen ist.