Heather’s Bookshelf: The Apology Box
Author: Naomi Ulsted
Released: 02/03/22
Genre: YA Contemporary Fiction
““Mom, I didn’t mean to…” I trailed off. I didn’t know what I wanted to say. Didn’t mean to start the fire? Didn’t mean to totally screw up my whole life? Mom always believed I was destined for greatness, Miss Possibilities. Maybe I didn’t mean to mess that up.”
“The Apology Box” introduces sixteen-year-old Tessa, a high schooler overcommitted to work, school, helping her mom at home, and keeping up with her many extra-curricular activities. One such hobby, volleyball, leads her to a new friend crowd and the desire to please her peers. A stupid decision leads to dire circumstances and the resultant repurcussions.
Tessa’s sentence includes writing letters to each of the individual’s affected by her actions, paying a fine much too high for her or her mother to repay, and completing community service hours. She finds a nursing home willing to accept her contributions and hopes to help those around her. She becomes close to one of the more grumpy residents, finds a little work editing papers, and even finds a guy to hang out with.
Except for the relationship with her parents, things are looking up. Until everything starts to fall apart. Will Tessa ever be able to move past and make amends for her actions and a split second decision with far reaching repercussions?
Trigger Warning: drinking, arson, adult language, violence
Overall, I enjoyed this story. I found Tessa to be a realistic and sympathetic narrator. The evolution of her character felt natural and the relationships with those around her believable. The interactions between Tessa and her parents seemed authentic, though complex. Enough background was shared to add context to their relationships while also drawing parallels to another meaningful relationship between Tessa and Effby. I loved how each of these women had such a powerful and important impact on each other’s lives. Diego and Rippen provided a balance to the story that kept the pace moving forward and the content not too entirely negative. The end of the story tied everything together nicely while wrapping up all major storylines and relationships. I was hoping for some unforeseen consequences or a surprise of some kind, but enjoyed the read all the same.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
Actions have consequences and Tessa learns this the hard way while also trying to find herself.
Want to learn more about the author?
Check out my interview with Naomi Ulsted
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