What I Carry, by Jennifer Longo

 Savvy's Reviews

Not sure you want to dig into that new book? Let Savvy do the hard work for you! Here's her latest review!

What I Carry by Jennifer Longo

Growing up in the foster care system, Muir, named for both the hospital at which she was found and the great explorer John Muir, has lived in many houses and met many people. But for the past 17 years she’s had only one thing on her mind. Survival. And soon she will age out of the foster care system and be sent out into the streets of Seattle on her own.

Much like her namesake she intends on surviving. Surviving without any emotional attachments to friends, family, or even a boyfriend. There’s no room in her tightly packed suitcase for anything extra and she’s made sure to pack light for the past 17 years. With one year left to go, however, she might fight her biggest obstacle yet: herself.

I loved this book from the way the author wrote it down to the very importantly placed details of the story. It’s about finding, not only your place in the world, but family in the most unlikely of places. Muir is a highly believable character that I not only found parts of myself in but became highly invested in. 

I listened to this as an audiobook and found myself walking right alongside these characters through the woods and the trials they faced. The author’s note at the end was especially touching. To know her personal connection to this subject of foster care made this novel all the more special to me. My mother was adopted and I had her read it when I was done. She absolutely loved it and I believe it’s a book that we can pick up again and again. 

This is a story beautiful enough to rival the setting itself. A story of family, hope, and belonging, I highly recommend this book to anyone. Readers of all ages can pull a meaningful message from this book and enjoy it for years to come. “What I Carry” is an instant favorite on my bookshelf. I’ll be picking this one up again and again. 

If you read this book and loved it try Be Not Far From Me by Mindy McGinnis. I did a review on this book as well if you’re interested. 

Savvy B. is an avid Young Adult fiction superfan. 

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