ARC Review: Skyscraping by Cordelia Jensen

Publisher: Philomel Books
Publishing Date: June 2nd, 2015
Genre: YA Contemporary
Pages: 352 pgs
ISBN: 9780399167713

Source: Received from the publisher for an honest review



Summary from Goodreads:

A heartrending, bold novel in verse about family, identity, and forgiveness Mira is just beginning her senior year of high school when she discovers her father with his male lover. Her world–and everything she thought she knew about her family–is shattered instantly. Unable to comprehend the lies, betrayal, and secrets that–unbeknownst to Mira–have come to define and keep intact her family’s existence, Mira distances herself from her sister and closest friends as a means of coping. But her father’s sexual orientation isn’t all he's kept hidden. A shocking health scare brings to light his battle with HIV. As Mira struggles to make sense of the many fractures in her family's fabric and redefine her wavering sense of self, she must find a way to reconnect with her dad–while there is still time.
Told in raw, exposed free verse, Skyscraping reminds us that there is no one way to be a family.

My Review:

This is a book told in verse about a girl who walks in on her father having an affair with another man. She is very upset about this but she is more upset about the fact that her mother has known for a long time and has also known that he is HIV positive. 
I will start by saying that anything that has LGBTQ characters or "issues" is something that I will always want to read. I think it's mostly because I can't fathom why people would be treated as subpar based on their sexual orientation. When Vikki sent out her e-mail with ARCs and saw the synopsis for this book I knew I had to have it. Then I realized it was a book in verse. I know people are divided on verse books but I for one love them. I think that I lot can be put into minimal amounts of words. I think they are often powerful because every single word matters. 
This book was what I expected and more. I expected to be pulled into family turmoil and teenage angst. I also expected to be touched and to watch relationships develop. I didn't expect to be sobbing on my couch. I just felt for the main character and I wanted the best for her. I zoomed through this book and finished it the same day I started it. I wanted to know more and couldn't put it down. The writing is tremendous and I was in awe of how Jensen was able to convey what she needed to in the way that she did. 
I would say if you like contemporaries you should definitely read this. Even if you're unsure of verse books you should give this one a try. I also think this is an important book because you don't often get to read novels about HIV and it's epidemic in the 1990s. I am pretty sure at this point I am rambling away but writing reviews for books you really enjoyed are the most difficult things to do. I will sign off by saying go buy this one!