Have you ever wondered what your parents or grandparents were like when they were young? Who their friends and crushes were, what hobbies they enjoyed, or how they handled school? Were they mischievous or well-behaved? Did they get along with their families, and did their childhood experiences shape the way they raised you? Teenager Rayna gets the opportunity to find out when she discovers her grandmother Jera’s journals from 1984–1985, written when Jera was just 14 years old. Jera initially started writing the journal for her English class, naming it Alderon. Through her diary entries, she shares stories about school, friendships, different parenting styles (hers and her friends’), and the grief and depression of a family member—whom she supports throughout their struggles. For Rayna, finding these journals is especially meaningful. After losing both of her parents, she now lives with her grandparents, and at the time of her discovery, Jera is recovering from brain surgery to remove a tumour. As Rayna reads through the pages of Alderon, she reflects on her own grief and her relationships and learns new facts and details about her family—especially about her grandmother. This is a coming-of-age novel, told across 2 different generations, and is beautifully written, using a relatable and authentic teenage voice in Jera. The language is simple, without complex words or overly dramatic scenarios. Instead, we experience the raw emotions of two teenagers from different time periods and see how themes—such as loss, grief, school, friendships, parenting, and love—remain the same despite the very different generations. It was so easy to connect with Jera. She is friendly and funny, and her mentions of cassettes, landline, and payphones brought so much nostalgia. I would have loved to spend more time inside Rayna’s mind, getting to know her even better, and I especially wished for more moments of her interacting with her grandmother after reading the journals. The ending left me wanting more. Overall, this was an easy yet captivating read about the struggles of adolescence, loss, grief, friendships, family dynamics, and self-discovery. Thank you, #netgalley, the publishers and author for the opportunity to read this beautiful book.

A very sweet series of journal entries from a teen growing up in the 80s, read by her great grandchild their teenage years. This was an easy, breezy one and the voice of a journaling teen was v authentic. I feel that more could have been made of the present day teen, though - for the first third of the book, I struggled to differentiate between narrators.