A review by minimicropup
The Second Life of Ava Rivers by Faith Gardner

dark emotional funny hopeful sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

This was good. It had some contrived moments, and sometimes felt a little forced in a quippy sitcom way, but overall it was an intriguing family drama.
 
Energy: Jaunty. Chill. Struggling.
 
🐕 Howls: The story was interrupted by repetitive summaries. Too contrived when characters avoided sharing key details with the police or having simple conversations that would resolve issues. Descriptions were often delayed until late in a scene.

🐩 Tail Wags: Each chapter was a little glimpse into character’s lives and it felt fast-paced. The main plot was gripping. The slice-of-life moments set against the return of a long-missing sister. I saw the reveal coming, but it was still interesting to see how it all played out.
 
Scene: 🇺🇸 Berkeley, California, USA
Perspective: A high school grad about to head off to college. Since their twin sister disappeared when they were 6 yo, they’re eager to get away from the sad memories and dysfunction of their parents relationship when the unexpected happens.
Timeline: 2010s. Linear.
🔥 Fuel: What happened to Ava when they were 6? Where has she been all this time? How will the family change? Will our main character act on her crush or keep avoiding the issue?
📖 Cred: Realistic
 
Mood Reading Match-Up:
Pugs. Mood rings. Snow White. Glittery Converse. Takeout. Vacant stare. Photo album. Ukulele.
  • Characters speaking to us, overhearing thoughts and plans (first person)
  • Short chapters
  • Naïve, questionable, and sympathetic characters
  • Casual, fragmented, simplistic writing style
  • Slice-of-life and stream-of-consciousness moments
  • Missing family member returns
  • Psychological YA drama with a mystery aura
  • Separated at birth twins, complicated sibling bonds
  • Ripped from the headlines feel
  • Childhood friends + romantic sparks
  • Hints of Stockholm Syndrome
  • Doubts, betrayal, secrets
 
Content Heads-Up: Agoraphobia (implied). Alcohol, intoxication (self-medicating). Betrayal. Child abuse (recall, past experiences).  Depression. Grief. Kidnapping, confinement. Loss of child. Loss of sibling. Missing family member. Nicotine (cigarettes). Psychosomatic illness (parent). Self-harm (brief mentions). Sexual assault (examination). Trafficking (human).
 
Rep: American. Half Iranian, half Mexican. Cis. Hetero. Bi. Freckled, pale, white, brown, and olive skin tones.
 
📚 Format: Kindle Unlimited
 
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