Title: A Constellation of Roses
Author: Miranda Asebedo
Release Date: November 5, 2019
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Rating: ★★★★★
Thank you to HarperTeen for an advanced finished copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Synopsis
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.
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.
Review
Raw, real and beautiful. I thought I was getting a light read that maybe dealt with some family issues and had some magic tossed in. Don’t be fooled by the title, A Constellation of Roses is a hard hitter right in the feels. Emotionally impactful while also managing to make me laugh in between the tears and heart bursts. It’s a very character driven story fueled by Trix and the emotional journey she goes through after being dropped on the door step of three powerful and independent women who also happen to be a bit gifted. You can’t help but immediately love Auntie who is quick as a whip and sassy as hell along with fiery Mia who is headstrong but just understands what Trix needs immediately and Ember who was so quite to start because of her invasive talent but quick to grow on me and Trix with her loving nature. I loved watching the relationship between these four strong women really blossom and grow into something real.
There was a tad bit of romance because is it really contemporary YA if there isn’t any? But even that wasn’t what I expected nor was it the center of the story. Jesper was so swoon-worthy. The golden boy with a few dark chapters of his own. They immediately understood each other and opened up about some of the harder things each was unable to share with anyone else which was sweet. Sometimes you just need someone to confide it, who might understand because they haven’t had it as easy either. Trix and Jesper were that for each other. But like I said before the romance took a back seat and actually helped further to relationship Trix had with the McCabe women.
It was a impactful read, an emotional story of four women of three generations coming together and making a new home with each other. It ripped my heart out and slowly pieced it back together to the point where I couldn’t put the book down. The writing was beautiful and while the ending was predictable the journey to it was not which only made it even better. If you enjoy YA contemporary add this one to your TBR. I hadn’t heard of Asebedo before this but now I might have to go back and read her debut novel The Deepest Roots. Cottonwood Hollow, the setting of The Deepest Roots, was actually mentioned a few times in this novel and I’m curious to see if a crossover exists.
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