AND OTHER MISTAKES

After a hard junior year, a Las Vegas teen tries to get back on track.

When Aaliyah, a 17-year-old Black girl, was outed by an older church member, her already unpredictable home life became that much more unstable. While her alcoholic, abusive dad took the news of her queerness in stride, her mom tried “to pray the gay away,” attacking her with Scripture and forcing Bible study on her. Aali’s mental and physical health deteriorated, and she lost her role as cross-country team captain. Her one constant through all the stress was her Filipina best friend, Yasmin—but Yaz kissed her and then ghosted her, leaving Aali alone, feeling insecure, and trying to make sense of everything. Her grades suffered, and she ended the year on academic probation. As senior year begins, Aali is determined to find joy again and make the new year count. The complexities of engaging in self-exploration while struggling for survival is a thread explored through multiple characters, some with more depth than others. Self-harm as a coping strategy is also present but not addressed in depth. Turner weaves together multiple aspects of dysfunction present in family, friend, and romantic relationships, and while there is no perfect ending, readers are left with hope. (This review has been updated to reflect the author's new name.)

An emotional read with the clear and important message that your mistakes don’t define you.