I have seriously got to stop reading dead parent books. I'm over here just bawling at Morgan's mom writing birthday letters for every birthday she'll miss. I know that is a secondary plot, but for me it became a fixation because I couldn't stop imagining how Morgan's life would've been different with her mom around. That last letter especially broke me. ( )

I‘m not sure what to say about this book. It might be hitting a little bit to close to home, while also being completely different from my experience, making it impossible for me to try to objectively rate it in any way.
It‘s definitely a sad, but hopeful read. Due to the fact that the reader is only shown one day a year, the passing feels never slow, but it also doesn’t feel rushed. Pretty clever in my opinion.
I like the two main characters, but also some of the side characters, especially Jasmine, even though she didn’t appear too much. ( )

Trigger Warnings: Domestic Abuse, Suicide, Homophobia, Transphobia

Birthday follows two kids, Morgan and Eric, who have been best friends since the day they were born (their parents both stuck in the hospital for 3 days due to a snow storm when they were born). Meeting with both kids, once a year on their birthday, from ages 13-18, many changes happen. With Eric, he tries to figure out who is and how he fits into the world. With Morgan, she makes the difficult choice on how best to be true to herself. Over the years, the duo go through the roller coaster that is teenage life, coming together, drifting apart and ultimately, realizing just how close they really are to each other.

I read this book in only two settings (only because I started it pretty late on the first night). It's a fast, yet beautifully heartbreaking read about acceptance, love, grief, and everything else that stands in the way of finding yourself as a teenager. Meredith Russo open a window and gave me a look inside a life I have little knowledge about: being transgender.

I connected with both characters very quickly and wanted them both to succeed and be happy. I also had tears in my eyes when Morgan talked about her many struggles and fears.

The only downside would be that I am not a fan of the cover at all. I had it on my TBR shelf for a year and a half before I finally read it. Every once in a while I would do a "clean out" and I would re-figure out what it was about because the cover didn't feel like it matched up. Once I read the story, I get it, but otherwise it just doesn't stick out for me.

This book gives a voice to so many who have been voiceless before. It's hard to put into words how much I really did love this book and how much these characters will stay with me for quite awhile. ( )

A book that somehow tackles deep topics/feelings in the cutest and simplest of ways. ( )

This was so good and romantic. I want more :( ( )