This heartfelt YA novel follows three biological siblings in their different homes all looking to resolve their own issues and also connect with each other. The middle child Grace is struggling with a teen pregnancy and its aftermath. Maya the youngest, tries to cope with being the short brunette odd one out in a family of tall redheaded clones as well as protect her younger (not biological sister) from the hardships of their parent’s marriage and her mother’s addiction problems. Joaquin, the eldest, deals with the trauma of a multitude of foster homes. He is working on not pushing away loved ones out of fear that he won’t be enough for them or that he’ll break them too.

Far From the Tree is a gripping and well written novel. The characters were all really well rounded and sympathetic. Although every page was packed with drama it was still realistic, believable and not over the top. This book might hit a chord more with teens but can definitely still be enjoyed by anyone else. My only criticism was regarding the character Maya. She was still a really interesting character, but felt a bit like the second point in an essay where you try and hide your weaker point. Compared to her siblings she simply wasn’t as relatable and honestly a bit annoying. I would have found it more interesting if the author had dived a bit deeper into the root of her insecurities like the author did with Joaquin. Instead the book just skimmed the surface and blamed her deep insecurities and tendency to push people away on the fact that she looked different from the rest of her family. That being said the overall book was a great read and I would really recommend it.