Miranda Asebedo
Genre: Young Adult, Magical Realism
Publisher: HarperTeen
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads
Ever since her mother walked out, Trix McCabe has been determined to make it on her own. And with her near-magical gift for pulling valuables off unsuspecting strangers, Trix is confident she has what it takes to survive. Until she’s caught and given a choice: jail time, or go live with her long-lost family in the tiny town of Rocksaw, Kansas.REVIEW
Trix doesn’t plan to stick around Rocksaw long, but there’s something special about her McCabe relatives that she is drawn to. Her aunt, Mia, bakes pies that seem to cure all ills. Her cousin, Ember, can tell a person’s deepest secret with the touch of a hand. And Trix’s great-aunt takes one look at Trix’s palm and tells her that if she doesn’t put down roots somewhere, she won’t have a future anywhere.
Before long, Trix feels like she might finally belong with this special group of women in this tiny town in Kansas. But when her past comes back to haunt her, she’ll have to decide whether to take a chance on this new life . . . or keep running from the one she’s always known.
With lovable and flawed characters, an evocative setting, and friendships to treasure, A Constellation of Roses is the perfect companion to Miranda Asebedo’s debut novel The Deepest Roots.
Trix had been on her own since her addict mother went out for cigarettes and never returned. She had been using her "gift" to steal just enough to get by, but when she was caught, she was given two choices: jail or the family of the father she never knew. Initially, Trix was just going through the motions, but after Auntie told her to plant roots or wither, she was determined to give an honest effort to being a part of the McCabe family.
This was such a beautiful and emotional story of family, connection, and forgiveness. Trix's story was heartbreaking, and every flashback, though painful, reinforced my happiness that she had found this amazing group of women. It was them - Mia, Auntie, and Ember, who received Trix with open arms. They gave her love without expecting anything back, and they gave her the sort of home and stability she deserved.
Asebedo is so good at assembling these groups of incredible women. She did so in The Deepest Roots, and has done it again in this book. She not only gave them "talents", but she made they strong and compassionate with a vulnerability making them easy to relate to. I adored them all, and loved how each of them helped topple the walls Trix had erected.
Mia was so kind and understanding. She exercised great patience with Trix, and became a strong maternal figure for her. Auntie was a hoot! She was brutally honest, but also very wise. She was a great motivator for Trix and helped keep her on her path. Ember developed such a real and honest friendship with Trix, and it was a reciprocal relationship, as Trix helped Ember heal some wounds as well.
The family dynamic was beautiful, but I also liked how they fit into the town. Trix grew up in a big city, and experienced some culture shock when she arrived at the McCabe's. The longer she stayed, though, the deeper her roots, and the greater her integration into the town.
Though this book tackles some heavier issues, Asebedo weaves in humor and hope, which alleviates some of the weight. From a gritty beginning comes a joyful ending, and I could feel my heart growing more and more full as I worked through this story.
A stable home. A loving family. A place where she belonged filled with people she could count on. These were the things that had eluded Trix, and it was so gratifying seeing her finally getting it all.
* ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
See the thread below to "meet" the characters!
EIGHT MORE DAYS! I’m sharing details about my favorite characters from A CONSTELLATION OF ROSES this week, and a little about each one! pic.twitter.com/i0UCGfFdje— Preorder A CONSTELLATION OF ROSES (@MirandaWriteNow) October 28, 2019
GIVEAWAY
a Rafflecopter giveaway
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Miranda Asebedo was born and raised in rural Kansas with a love of fast cars, open skies, and books. She carried that love of books to college, where she got her B.A. and M.A. in English, with an emphasis in Creative Writing and Literature. A Seaton Fellowship recipient, her short fiction has appeared in Kansas Voices, Touchstone, and Midway Journal.
Miranda still lives on the prairie today with her husband, two kids, and two majestic bulldogs named Princess Jellybean and Captain Jack Wobbles. If Miranda's not writing or reading, she's most likely convinced everyone to load up in the family muscle car and hit the road.
Do you have a favorite constellation?
Let us know in the comments!
Let us know in the comments!
This sounds like it was an emotional and touching story. I enjoy the small town setting, and love when a story focuses on family! Wonderful Review Sam :)
ReplyDeleteLindy@ A Bookish Escape
The town really did endear itself to me, but it was definitely the family ties that won my heart.
DeleteThis sounds so beautifully written and gentle Sam. I love books that focus on family and seeing trix being supported by such remarkable women is exactly what we need more of, especially in young adult. It sounds incredible and that cover is absolutely stunning! Lovely review Sam, really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteAsebedo has totally earned her place in my heart with both her books. I was really pleased to see there was no sophomore slump here, and I was so glad this was also a story highlighting the power of family, friendship, and strong females.
DeleteLove the sound of this, Sam! I'm glad that the heroine was able to find herself a new family!
ReplyDeleteObviously, there were tears on my part, but they were the good kind, because this was a really heartwarming tale.
Deletei love when an author can take a difficult subject and infuse it with humor and hope. sounds like she accomplished that in your great review
ReplyDeletesherry @ fundinmental
My perfect read always involves a balance, and Asebedo does that well
DeleteI like that this book is focused on her and her family and not a romance -- I mean, it's fine if the book contains one, but what matters and what's in the blurb is all about the women in this family and helping Trix and I love that.
ReplyDeleteI have to be honest, so few YA books really focus on romance. They just tend to be part of the story, and Trix's relationship with both the love interests were part of her journey, but family was definitely the focus.
DeleteThis sounds like an emotional type read but also inspirational too. Auntie sounds like she was a fun character and Trix sounds such a strong young woman. Lovely review!
ReplyDeleteAuntie was fantastic! She would read palms and just tell the honest truth to whenever she felt like it. No filter, and I loved her for it.
Deletefantastic review and one of the few books that I have seen you read with fantasy (magic) in it recently ;-)
ReplyDeleteI have read a few books with some magic and magical realism this year. They feel contemporary, so they work for me. I love this author. Both her books were fantastic for me. She wins me over with her characters and the relationships she writes.
Delete