I chose this from an ARC program because I liked the synopsis, and was in the mood for a good YA read.

The Premise

Piper’s life as she knows it comes to a screeching halt when her mother is arrested for an unimaginable crime — she stole Piper when she was a newborn, seventeen years ago. Suddenly, everything Piper took for granted is now in question — her relationship with whom she believed was her mother, her memories of her beloved and deceased father, and her bond to her brother Zach.

When she learns that she is expected to be “returned” to her birth family, Piper takes the first chance she can to bolt. Her escape is soon thwarted by Zach’s friend Finn, who joins her journey with no real destination but “away” — away from the police, a swarm of media vultures, her gossiping friends, and the family she never knew that is now on her heels.

But her birth family is more about appearances, and dark secrets lie beneath the shiny surface of an affluent couple and three siblings. Can Piper — née Greta — find her way through the web of deceit and pretences to a happy future?

The Pros & Cons

This is a fast-paced novel with intrigue that builds at every plot twist. There is not even a moment’s rest before it plunges into a new emotion — anger, rage, sadness, loss, grief, love and so much more. I loved Piper’s character development as she was forced to mature quickly and deal with the reality of the drastic shift her life has made.

The family drama thickens as secrets are revealed, and Piper’s quest for acceptance is thwarted at every turn from her new family to her new school. We feel her increasing weariness at the way her life has crumbled through no fault of her own, and we keep hoping for the small elements of levity to billow her sails of belonging once more.

Every character’s actions were believable, and their motives were clearly felt throughout the novel. From her new father’s devotion, to her new mother’s paranoia and emotional stuntedness, to the antagonism of her new sister — at times we ricochet from anger and disbelief to sympathy. The plot aptly demonstrates how one singular act of selfish mania — stealing a baby — created a butterfly effect that affected everyone in different ways.

The pacing felt alarmingly swift when I hoped it would have lingered a bit more on some emotional scenes, particularly a few moments coming down to the end that I wish were more expanded rather than wrapped up quite so quickly. But the story packs so many events and plot twists into its word count that it simply wasn’t possible to slow down. Just as Piper’s life felt like it was moving too fast, so too does the story — and perhaps that was the point.

Conclusion

This is an excellent pick for a Young Adult coming-of-age novel that packs an emotional punch. I highly recommend to anyone, but particularly to young women who could use a strong female protagonist to admire. The main character’s emergence through all this emotional drama, and journey to healing, is a story of triumph that will resonate with many readers. It was a pure thrill to read such an expertly crafted, emotional drama, and I look forward to more from the author.

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