“We are bound to each other, perhaps not by our brightest moments, but by our darkest.”

Books can pop in and out of your radar, and sometimes only a friend’s help can make you actually read it. That’s the case for The Deepest Roots. If it hadn’t been mentioned in the YA book club, I probably would have glanced over the cover and kept on moving.

Three girls, the closest friends, are born in a town thought cursed because, since its creation, the girls born within the border have a gift; either making enough, finding what’s lost, fixing what needs mending, or healing those that are hurt. Rome lives in the town, and she doesn’t think her ability can save her or her mom from the landlord that wants to evict them, even trading her most prized possession for just a few more months. After a nasty tornado rocks the town, Rome and her two friends stumble upon a discovery that could either fix everything or tear them apart.

The Deepest Roots is more then some magical realism book about finding a journal. It’s about more than three girls living in a small Kansas town. It’s about more than being poor and fighting for everything. It’s about love. About taking care of each other no matter what. About being a community and watching each other’s back. Love comes in so many different forms, and I appreciate how Asebedo explores the love of friends, family, and community.

For her debut book, Asebedo writes like a pro. Her sentences are clear and concise, painting pictures that take the reader on a journey. The reader can feel each piece of hail hitting the ground. They can feel the stabs and jabs inflicted by a few words. But it’s Asebedo’s skill of creating Rome that steals the show. Rome’s voice is unique, at times sounding unfeminine and not matching the picture described, but she is her own person. Something very hard to accomplish for debut writers.

“Sometimes being a good friend means keeping your distance, even if you're walking side by side.”

One topic never talked about in books is the combination of slow and fast moments. It came up in my critique group last month, and we decided it’s important to blend the two together. Slow moments let readers see how the characters move around and live within their world. It creates a stronger back story and helps the reader build a connection to the story. Asebedo is an example of the perfect blend. There’s mystery and intrigue throughout, but the moments change in intensity. Readers get to see the small Kansas town, how it breathes. They get to build up the creation in their minds. When we look back on Harry Potter, what scenes do we remember the most? The fight scenes may be grand, but readers keep talking about the Butterbeer, the classes, the trips down to Hagrid’s hut. These are the moments recreated over and over

And though this might not be your first guess as a diverse read, I want to include it to the list. There are different ethnic characters for sure, but how many times do we consider social economic position as diverse? Not everyone can afford a phone. Not everyone can go to school and not work. Poverty affects so many people of different races and I think that readers forget about these people when they live their day to day lives. Well here is the reminder. I appreciate that Asebedo played that edge. She made Rome a character in a different way of life and it was a great reminder of all those people forced to live paycheck to paycheck.

I enjoyed where the story went in the end. Asebedo ran her message home with the last scene. It surprised me - to be honest. Many times I expected the book to go one way, jump ahead a few days, but then it would stick its course, playing out each individual day. Asebedo kept all her promises. She never missed a beat. I appreciate the plot was different. It was fresh and left even me guessing.

To conclude… I’m giving the story 4.25 out of 5 stars. I wanted to give it a full 5 but, for me, something was still missing to push it over the top. Probably just personal opinion because there was nothing blatantly wrong. I’ll be recommending The Deepest Roots to everyone and will probably end up with a copy of my own. I mean it doesn’t help when the author follows you back on Instagram and you’re dying on the inside from excitement.

First review of the new year. Eeeeeeeck. This just means my book counter is back to zero. I hope you all had a marvelous holiday break and welcome to another year of untold adventure.

Happy Reading

Love Kait

Reading Challenge: 0/100