CW: Death of sibling. Mother abandons daughter.

3.5 Stars ( )

Frankie cannot erase the pain of abandonment when she finds her mother kept her brother but not her. It seems like her life cannot get any worse when it does. The angry girl finds her brother and now he is missing. The story shows that there are no easy answers and that it is hard enough surviving teenage years and nearly impossible when the odds are stacked against you. This is not a feel good coming of age story.

I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway. Although encouraged, I was under no obligation to write a review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. ( )

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Flatiron Books, in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warnings: drug addiction, abandonment by parent, bullying

This book is described as "a genre hopping, darkly funny coming-of-age story about searching for the truth, finding yourself, and falling in love." I didn't find that Frankie delivers as advertised.

The action in the story held my interest, and I liked finding out about the Collingwood side of the world, the wrong side of the tracks, for Frankie. I liked Frankie's aunt, Vinnie. Frankie and Vinnie were both developed well as characters, and I was invested.

Where I started getting frustrated was losing humor in what were meant to be funny moments. It isn't funny when your main method of communication with a potential love interest is for both of the characters to constantly insult each other and to give each other the finger. I should have taken the time to count how many times "giving the finger" was used as a quick method to convey supposedly slapstick humor. Instead of being funny, it just irritated me. So I didn't agree with the way "darkly funny" was portrayed as truly being humorous. Also, I didn't understand how Frankie could find love when all they could do was bicker and make insulting gestures at each other. The ending was rushed, and it attempted to tie into a neat bow the search for truth and for Frankie finding herself.

Frankie has been through so much in her 18 years, and there's a phenomenal novel lurking in the book. It's a book that I will gladly recommend as one to try out, explore Australian YA, and come to appreciate Aunt Vinnie. This book may not have delivered everything for me as it promised, but this is a talented author who has much potential. I will be looking for her upcoming books and will enjoy watching her progression. ( )

I won an ARC of Frankie by Shivaun Plozza in a GOODREADS giveaway. ( )