Posted by Sometimes, when I’m anxious about something, I make “deals” with the universe. I tell the universe that if I do something, it shouldn’t let whatever I’m anxious about happen. I know that the future isn’t in my hands, but the feeling of being in control calms me down.
In Ask My Mood Ring How I Feel by Diana Lopez, Erica “Chia” Montenegro makes a promesa, or a promise, to God in exchange for her mom getting better. This reminded me of my own ways of dealing with stress, and it’s why I really enjoyed reading this book, because I could relate to the main character.
Erica has been dealing with a lot – she has a genius younger sister whom everyone expects her to be like, a 2-year-old brother who is more than a handful, and a mom who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. With all of this piling up on her, she has no time to sort out her emotions. So, she buys a mood ring to figure out her feelings.
The story had me turning pages with anticipation. I was eager to know if Erica would fulfill her promesa, and if her mom would survive cancer. I liked how the author created continuous suspense to what would happen in the next scene, and how the character was Mexican.
One thing I didn’t like about the book was that it was a little annoying how boy-crazy the girls in this book were. They all made “Boyfriend Wish Lists” and flirted with older men, even though they were in eighth grade.
I recommend this book to older readers because the topic of breast cancer may be something younger readers aren’t ready for. If you like realistic teen fiction, you will enjoy this one!
My favorite character was GumWad, one of Erica’s friends. I loved his personality and charm! Three out of four roses!
Elena Reads and Reviews 