Day’s YA: THIS GOLDEN STATE

THIS GOLDEN STATE by Marit Weisenberg
9781250786272
3/1/22
Flatiron Books
Ages 12-18

E-galley available on Edelweiss and NetGalley

Poppy Winslow and her family have spent the past eighteen years running away. From what? She has no idea. She doesn’t even know her parents’ real identities. But she does know one thing for sure—their lives will never be the same if the authorities catch up to them. So when Poppy’s parents suddenly tell her that it’s time to move again, she’s unsurprised, but still sad to leave Illinois. She’s desperate for a chance to live a normal life, make real friends, and put down roots somewhere.

Once the Winslows arrive in California, Poppy’s curiosity is heightened and she discovers a tiny crack in her parents’ otherwise perfect plan. Determined to figure out who she really is and the truth behind her family’s past, Poppy mails in a home DNA test, putting their anonymity at risk. Family is everything to Poppy—after all, they’re all she has—but will her desire to find her own place in the world outweigh her obligation to keep their secrets?

Smart and gripping, this propulsive novel from Marit Weisenberg (author of THE INSOMNIACS) had me hooked from page one. The core of this book is about family, but it’s also a twisty thriller with a touch of romance. Poppy’s search for answers had me on the edge of my seat as I rooted for her to discover her true self. Fans of THE PROJECT by Courtney Summers and WHAT BEAUTY THERE IS by Cory Anderson will devour this intriguing, genre-defying story.

Happy reading!
<3 Emily

YA Resources:
2022 Books for Teens
Day’s YA archives
2022 Adult Books for Teens