Moms raised a diamond.

In J. Elle's debut fantasy novel, readers are taken on a journey that is both fantastical and relevant to today's climate. Rue is trying to get back to see her sister, Tasha, who was left in Houston after their mother's death. Rue, whose father takes her to New Ghizon, a place of magic, risks everything to get back. Her desire to see her sister again starts a chain of events that lead Rue to the truth about her neighborhood and New Ghizon.

For the most part, I really enjoyed this book and, as I've said about other YA books with Black protagonists, I really wish I had a book like this to read when I was a teenager. Although I did not grow up like Rue, so many of the things she and her neighbors went through are still very relevant to me. Especially being the oldest and feeling responsible for EVERYTHING. I really felt the burdens Rue had on her shoulders, burdens she did not have to carry on her own, as Black women often do. Trying to remain strong when a good cry is the only remedy was relatable and I'm glad the author included that theme in the novel.

I also enjoyed the timeline. It wasn't the traditional timeline (girl is regular, girl finds magic, girl goes to magical place, girl has epic battle and maybe a boyfriend, girl triumphs). Instead, the timeline was split, with Rue having been in New Ghizon for a year when the book starts. I thought that change was great and hope more authors do this.

Some of the writing was a little overdone, especially when it came to Rue's feelings about her Dad. We get it, she's mad about him, we don't need the constant reminders. Also, some of the dialogue was preachy but I understood why it was. Luckily, it didn't detract from the overall story too much, which still made the book a very enjoyable reading experience.

I'm looking forward to the next book because there is no way on Earth the author can leave me hanging like that.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Where to buy: The Lit. Bar Loyalty Bookstores Indiebound Amazon