Genesis is a 13-year-old girl with a list of things she hates about herself. One of the primary things is the darkness of her skin. The book begins with Genesis and her mother being evicted from their home and moving from their Detroit neighborhood to a rented house in a beautiful suburb. Her father promises that he is getting a promotion and that he an afford the home, but Genesis has learned not to trust him. She has never lived in such a nice area but is wary of settling in. Genesis finds out from her own grandmother that the family didn't want her parents to marry because of the darkness of her father's skin. And now her father denigrates her for that same dark skin she inherited from him. While the book swirls with issues of race and colorism and family dynamics, what makes it shine is how deeply we come to empathize with Genesis. She's a character that readers can really root for as she overcomes obstacles and comes into her own. The audiobook, read by the author, is an outstanding listening experience. Highly recommended for middle school-up.
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