One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies

Ruby Milliken, a 15-year-old from Boston, must relocate to Los Angeles to live with her movie star father after her mother's death. Having never truly known her father Whip Logan, who divorced her mother before her birth, Ruby faces the challenge of adapting to both a new family dynamic and the Hollywood lifestyle. The story unfolds through blank verse poetry interspersed with emails and letters between Ruby and her friends back home. As Ruby navigates her new high school and relationship with her father, she struggles to reconcile her past life in Boston with her present circumstances in Los Angeles. Written for young adults, this novel explores themes of grief, forgiveness, and the complex nature of family relationships. The verse format allows for an intimate examination of Ruby's emotional journey as she confronts unexpected truths about her parents and herself.

Most readers describe this verse novel as a quick, emotional read that resonates with teens dealing with family changes and grief. The book maintains an authentic teenage voice while handling serious themes. What readers liked: - Realistic portrayal of teenage emotions and relationships - Integration of emails and instant messages into the narrative - Character growth and development - Humor mixed with heavier themes - Accessibility of the verse format What readers disliked: - Predictable plot elements - Some found the protagonist initially unlikeable - A few readers felt the verse style oversimplified complex issues Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (14,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (50+ reviews) Reader quotes: "The email format and verse style made it feel like reading someone's private thoughts" - Goodreads reviewer "Too neat of an ending, but the journey there was worth it" - Amazon reviewer

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🌟 The entire novel is written in free verse poetry, a style Sonya Sones has become known for in her young adult literature 📚 Sonya Sones drew from her real-life experience in Hollywood, having worked as a film editor before becoming an author ✉️ The book incorporates multiple formats of communication, including emails to a deceased mother, showing the evolution of grief and healing 🎬 The Hollywood setting serves as both a literal backdrop and a metaphor for the facades people create, reflecting themes of authenticity and identity 🏆 The book received the Claudia Lewis Poetry Award and was named to the American Library Association's Best Books for Young Adults list in 2004