Week 21 Review: Far from the Tree

From Goodreads:
Robin Benway's beautiful interweaving story of three very different teenagers connected by blood explores the meaning of family in all its forms—how to find it, how to keep it, and how to love it.

Being the middle child has its ups and downs.

But for Grace, an only child who was adopted at birth, discovering that she is a middle child is a different ride altogether. After putting her own baby up for adoption, she goes looking for her biological family, including—

Maya, her loudmouthed younger bio sister, who has a lot to say about their newfound family ties. Having grown up the snarky brunette in a house full of chipper redheads, she's quick to search for traces of herself among these not-quite-strangers. And when her adopted family's long-buried problems begin to explode to the surface, Maya can't help but wonder where exactly it is that she belongs.

And Joaquin, their stoic older bio brother, who has no interest in bonding over their shared biological mother. After seventeen years in the foster care system, he's learned that there are no heroes, and secrets and fears are best kept close to the vest, where they can't hurt anyone but him.

Don't miss this moving novel that addresses such important topics as adoption, teen pregnancy, and foster care. 

My Review:
I had a good time with this book. I requested this book when I wasn't as sure in my reading tastes-I usually avoid contemporary if I can. But sometimes FOMO gets the better of me. But this story of three siblings who were all given up for adoption by their mother, and ended in very different situations.

I'm glad that we got the perspectives of all the siblings. Grace and Maya both were adopted, but Joaquin wasn't, he maybe has a chance of getting adopted, but it hasn't gone through yet. All of them have their issues, and dealing with reconnecting with their biological siblings.

Grace's parents really bugged me. There's so many things that they could've done to make the situation better, even if they couldn't adopt Joaquin as well, and they didn't. And so they both missed out on that connection, when they both could've really used it.

The way this book dealt with all these issues, I really enjoyed how they were dealt with. It was thought provoking, and pretty emotional at points. I hope not all of it is experienced by those who are adopted and who adopt, but some of it is, and I hope that everybody who experiences it the best! 

I had a good time with this book, and I'm really glad that I read it!  

Author: Robin Benway
Read: May 21st, 2022
Source: Edelweiss
Reason Why: Sounded really great and it's a SAC 2022 Book!
Publisher: Harper Teen
Published: October 3rd 2017

5/5 Hearts

4/5 Books

4/5 Stars