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Aug 15, 2019RosaReads2 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This is the 3rd book I've read by this author, which for me is the magic number that determines whether or not they become a favorite. Julie Buxbaum is now officially a favorite YA author of mine. (I still need to read her adult lit.) Hope and Other Punchlines was in essence, a "9/11" story that focused on the tragedy's effect on two teens and their families. I'd recently read a couple of books with 9/11 as their backdrop, but not from the perspective of the children born on and around that date. I really enjoyed this shift in viewpoint. Noah and Abbi weren't actually there or weren't old enough to remember, but their lives were drastically altered because of it. At the same time, through their eyes, we meet a number of adults who were there and help fill the gaps in Noah and Abbi's stories. The book was emotionally stirring with a highly compelling writing style. Like this authors previous work, she has a quick wit when it comes to banter and commentary. That wit was a nice balance when paired with the heartbreaking turns to the story. Most importantly and not always found in YA lit, I felt that these were realistically written characters with authentic family relationships. I was immediately drawn in at the start and then didn't want to leave when nearing the end. A moving story by a consistently wonderful author.