This Golden State by Marit Weisenberg was listed in a high school social media group as highly engaging. It’s part of my school’s collection, so I had to borrow it.
The book begins with Poppy dropping a DNA test in the mail. This is a highly risky move because Poppy’s family (mom, dad and eight-year-old sister Emma) have been on the run her whole life.
Poppy’s memories are only of constant moving. She is aware her parents live in fear of being caught and she has become accustomed to abruptly leaving one town for another. This lifestyle has prevented her from becoming too close to anyone.
Their most recent move is to California, but this move feels different. Her militant dad seems extra jumpy and her mom is acting strangely. Poppy joins a high-level summer math course and begins bending some of the family rules. This is partly due to a love interest, wealthy Harrison Addison (classmate).
Her growing relationship with Harrison and her growing restlessness with their lifestyle prompts her to begin investigating her parents. What she discovers is completely unexpected and leads her to face her compliance over the years. As she turns eighteen, she has to decide whether to keep living according to their rules, or to begin her own life.
This was a great book. I thought it moved quickly, and it kept my interest!
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