“High School. Two words that struck fear into the heart of every armless middle schooler I knew. Which was me. And like two people online.” The sequel to the critically acclaimed Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus follows Aven Green as she confronts yet another challenge: high school. Just as Aven starts to feel comfortable in Stagecoach Pass, with her friends and schoolmates … in Stagecoach Pass, with her friends and schoolmates accustomed to her lack of “armage,” everything changes once again. She’s about to begin high school . . . with 2,300 new kids to stare at her. And no matter how much Aven tries to play it cool, nothing prepares her for the reality. In a year filled with confusion, humiliation, fears, loss, and just maybe love, can Aven manage to stay true to herself?
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I read and absolutely adored the first Aven Green book and in the sequel we see Aven going off to high school and experiencing all of the difficulties that often accompany that major life change except amplified a million times because Aven was born without arms. There are run-ins with the cruelest of cruel bullies, first crushes, and growing pains with friendships. My heart broke so many times for Aven and the things that she had to go through, the thoughts that she had to wrestle with, the hardships she had to overcome. It felt achingly real and was all the more wonderful because of that. I also love that I laughed twice as much as I cried. And a lot of the times I was doing both at once. Everything here is incredibly touching and honest and ultimately uplifting. I can’t recommend this book enough.
I needed this. No homosexuality, no issues, just the life of Aven Green growing up a bit more as she is entering high school. She is real, even as she is still figuring her own self, and other people, out. Yes there is drama, but it is the stuff that actually happens, not anything she has caused. And there is also another more side story that you can enjoy as well, especially if you have already read book one. My only regret about this book is not the book itself but the fact that I had to listen t ok it instead of read it, and I know I get interrupted and miss things and am sad to have not succeeded at getting really really into it like I could’ve had I been able to read the words. But this was really a book I wanted t i.k read so I got my hand on it the only way I could during the coronavirus…audio style. I will recommend this to friends for sure.
First off, I want to say that this book is a sequel to another book. I didn’t realize that until I received the book. You CAN read this book without reading the first book. However, if I’m being honest, you would be better off reading the first book prior to reading this one. I had so many questions that I know the first book would have answered. With that said I thought this was a pretty decent book. It’s definitely a book for teens though. It started out slow and took me a moment to get into. Once I got into it I needed to see how it panned out. This is a book about teens struggling through their own hardships. This is a book with bullies and people who are pretty on the outside but ugly on the inside. This is a book about growing up and growing stronger. I hated watching Aven crawl inside herself and lose her confidence. I hated listening to her lie to her friends and family and watch her push them away. But I loved watching her finally grow stronger again. I liked finally seeing her confidence come back and know she was smiling, inside and out. I liked the message I found in this book. I would rank this book in the middle school/high school category. It was a little young for me, but I did enjoy it.