All the Tomorrows After by Joanne Yi

The quick cut: A Korean American girl reluctantly agrees to visits from her estranged father after her mother steals her money.

A real review:

Thank you to Atheneum Books for Young Readers for providing the arc for an honest review.

Our relationships frame who become as we grow, especially those that we have with our parents. For Winter, this is a core difficulty as she has one parent who steals from her and another that has been uninvolved for years.

Winter has spent her life dreaming of escape. With a dad who disappeared years ago and a mother who isn't really there for her, the only person she truly cares about is her grandmother. Saving up her money, she's waiting until she has the right amount to leave with her grandmother together. When her mom finds her saved cash and spends it all, Winter is left devastated until the dad who left years ago gives her an offer: spend time with me each week for payment.

This book has a very slow pace compared to what I prefer and it definitely made it difficult to focus. While the character development is phenomenal, it just seemed as of a lot of the pages were unnecessary or didn't add to the plot development. All of the chapters were short as well, which left the pacing choppy. It's a lot of small details that left the experience less than optimal.

Winter has not had what anyone would call the ideal childhood. Between a dad who abandoned her and a mother who is more focused on what she wants, she's left to fend for herself. There's an understandable amount of frustration and depression left for her to work through. This is clear as her relationships change over time.

This book also features a character with ALS diagnosis. The author does a wonderful job of explaining what the condition is and what that means for longevity in a natural way. It's a truly devastating condition that can derail the direction of a person's life.

I would be remiss if I didn't say that this book is a difficult one to read. The tone is somber for a vast majority and the ending doesn't really change that overall feeling. If you don't handle sadder stories well, skip this one.

A sad, emotional story that can feel burdensome to the reader.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5