What was your worse fear as a teen? Mine was falling in front of crowds at school. I was/am so clumsy. In Marit Weisenberg’s This Golden State, 17-year-old Poppy has a lot of fears. The main one is her parents’ true identities being discovered. She has to constantly move schools when one of her parents gets worried they’ve been discovered. Poppy is an amazing, complex teen trying to discover who she is in so many ways. She fears mostly how she will care for her little sister when/if her parents are caught. Poppy’s mother is one of those you hate but have to know what the heck she did to be so dangerous. I hated her because she made her daughter live a half-life: one without friends, mentors, extended family, school activities, and even hope for her future. Poppy sees Hope when they move to the Golden State, California. It’s a place she knows her Mom has a connection to in some way. Things start to show a connection for Poppy too. Their new house is nicer than ever before and it has a room specially decorated for Poppy with a giant painting of poppies. There Poppy gets to take a special summer program in advanced mathematics where a teacher takes an interest in helping Poppy. Then a famous politician’s son, Harry takes an interest in Poppy. Things get hairy from there but oh so good. This was one of the best YA thrillers I’ve ever read. I was totally invested in Poppy and wanted so much for her to have the future she deserves. Loved all of it and its quick pace. I’m going to definitely read Marist’s three other books.
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