I read this book in high school after an acquaintance had finished it and said it made her so upset she just didn’t want it on her bookshelf anymore.

It hit very close to home, while I didn’t move around as often, my family was always struggling for money, and my parents made a lot of bad, selfish decisions. I was really parentified and I still have a complicated relationship with my parents, but they remain in my life despite everything, even if it’s at arm’s length. I think at the time I was probably a little young to have read this book, but I appreciated her story and it definitely left an impact on me. I remember thinking if she was able to pick herself up and become something, I knew I was definitely going to be okay.

I think I might go back and reread this, now that I’m older and have a little more space from the situation I was in when I originally read it.