DNF at 25%. It's been over four years since I received this ARC. I gave it a go and have decided it is not for me. It interested me then and no longer does now.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this book. I liked the main character, Tiffany. After recently losing my mother, I couldn't identify with her struggle of trying to adapt to life without someone so important. I enjoyed her exploring relationships with her sisters and navigating a whole new life. Tackled some serious issues, but Tiffany was so funny and endearing.

Forgot to give feedback, apparently, but I moderated a panel with Dana on it (SLJ Teen Live) and loved the book, so....cheers! And sorry.

I wasn't really sure what to expect with this book. But I have to admit I liked it.

Tiffany moves in with her father whom she is meeting for the first time, after her mother passes away. Then not only is she dealing with loosing her mom, but anothe guy comes in and says that he is her father. While waiting for the DNA test to come back to prove which of the two is her real father, Tiffany has time to ponder which would be best for her. A home that comes with 4 sisters and a life that would be completely new to her the life that she is much more familiar with.

This book had my emotions all over the place. One moment I was sad and the next I found myself happy and then I would be mad. For me being able to fall into a book so completely that I feel the motions of a character is what makes a great book.

This is a debut book for this author and I have to say I think she is on to something. Her writing was great. The book grabbed me from the beginning and never let go. Sometimes it is hard for authors to hit multiple themes in a book well. They either gloss too much over it or dwell on it soo much. Dana L. Davis does a wonderful job of touching on the different themes. I never felt like saying 'MOVE ON ALREADY', which is the sign of a great author.

This is one that I will definitely be recommending to everyone.

I loved it! I really rooted for Tiffany and wanted to slap Anthony throughout most of the book for all of his not listening bullshit. Mild spoilers in the review below.
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This book took me on a roller coaster of emotions. I loved Tiffany and wanted her to succeed even as she was making mistakes and trying to hide so much. Her pain over losing her mom was especially poignant and made me cry several times. I also loved Tiffany's friendship with Marcus and how that developed (and especially how they developed some early boundaries with each other and determined that neither was interested in the other romantically. It's refreshing to see a genuine friendship between a girl and guy in a YA novel that doesn't have any romantic components to it). Marcus, I just wanted to hug him pretty much all throughout the book. He's so kind and smart and interesting and it's sad that so many people are too scared of his outward appearance to even try to get to know him.
I liked how the relationship between Tiffany and London developed, especially how she started off so cold and rude to Tiffany (I wanted to slap her but I sorta understood it, too) but eventually they got to know one another and became friends as well as sisters. Neveah is probably my favourite of all the sisters; she's just a hoot. I even grew to like her stepmom, who had some annoying character traits but was actually a good person.
The one person I did not like was Anthony, Tiffany's dad. Whew boy there were so many times I wanted to reach into the book and shake him for being such a controlling asshole. I loved the times Tiffany stood up to him and told him off. My only qualm is I wish he could've gotten a little extra character development before his big turn to trying to be a better dad. That part felt a little rushed to me.
Also the Pumpkin of the matter? That stuff seemed pretty problematic and, while maybe realistic to how some families (badly) deal with autism, got abusive at times. I wish that could've been changed a lot throughout the book.

All in all, I really liked this book and would recommend it to anyone who's into contemporary YA that deals with some heavier themes while also maintaining a good sense of humour and levity when needed. Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an early copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t know what to expect when I picked up this book, but I was honestly blown away. Tiffany Sly is such a wonderful and relatable character. Her openness about her mother’s illness and death, her own anxiety, and her passion for the things she loves makes her someone you just want to be around. There were times when I wanted to throw the book across the room for something a character did (ugh Anthony!) but that just shows how invested I was. Definitely a great read for teens and adults who love YA. And I can’t wait to read more books by this author.

After her beloved mom passes away due to cancer, sixteen year old Tiffany Sly is moving from her hometown Chicago to live with her biological father she has never met, or even is 100% sure of that he actually is her real dad. When she arrives in Florida. She isn't prepared though for what she finds there.
Her dad, Anthony Stone, lives in a big mansion with his family. She finds out that she has fours sisters and...that her family are strict Jehovah Witnesses. This totally is opposite to her. It is difficult enough to have lost her mother, and now she has to deal with a strict dad with four sisters from different mothers and a religion that is forced on her. And her anxiety and autism.Her dad even orders her to get her braids out, which is hiding her alopecia and to stop with the medication against her anxiety. She also meets the very friendly neighbor lady who immediately helps her with her hair, but she has to promise she becomes friends with their son, Marcus, who has had a near-dead experience and now is dressed quite oddly. Her father forbids going friendly with the neighbors though because two women living with their son is against his religion. When one of Tiffany's sister's London accidentaly get's pregnant though, things are shaken up in the family. Things get even worse by revelations that Anthony Stone may not be her father. Another man has stepped forward claiming that Tiffany is his daughter. Tiffany cannot reconcile his claims with the woman that she knew as her mother, even though she sees some of herself in this other man, and it totally paints a different picture of the her mom than she knew before.

I really liked the storyline of this book! The story handles so many different things, that is really what stood out! It truly was moving to read how Tiffany landed in her new life and had to deal with everything that was so different from her own family back in Chicago. I really shook my head sometimes at how things where handled in her dad's house.t. Tiffany has severe anxiety and OCD. She also has alopecia. All these characteristics that the author added made her just more realistic and awesome. It also was very brave how she handled all the changes in her new life and how she became friends with Marcus, against the will of her father. She really stood up to him and his sometimes too strict beliefs that he really needed. Tiffany is also black and she has so many conversations about what it means for her to grow up without representation, to wish she looked like 'other girls', those who pass as white, mostly because her dad is white and it leads her to a lot of questions.

Overall, this book is very good, entertaing original and has a great storyline!!

Dnf, couldnt get into this one. This was an attempt to break into something I normally dont read. Sadly this one was a miss for me, I couldnt keep my attention on the book

Tiffany has lost her mother to cancer and now living who now living with Anthony Stone who might not be her father. But he is rich, has four other daughters and more rules then Tiffany knows what to do with. But when she becomes friends with the boy next door, Marcus, even after Anthony told her to stay away from him. Things get out of hand.

Throughout the story of self-discovering, truths and drama. When learned the truth of many secrets. This story gave me many mixed feelings, not only because of the abusive controlling parents which is one of the main themes for this book. But because of the way autism is shown in this book. I have a little brother who is autistic, and I felt bad and wrong on how its shown in this book. I would never want him to read this because of how it's shown in a negative light. It also doesn't help or more the story at all.

All in all, I enjoyed the relationship between Marcus and his family. That was the only part of this book that kept me reading.

Warning for autism abuse and abusive controlling relationships.
2.5 stars

Please see my review on YALSA's the Hub:
http://www.yalsa.ala.org/thehub/2018/10/16/qp2019-nominees-round-october-16-edition/

Dana L. Davis is a voice to watch in YA. Her writing was compelling and the voice of her main character was consistent and authentic throughout the novel. Davis touches on several hard topics within this novel--death of a parent, religion, fitting in, and complicated families. Davis gives each topic room to grow and allows Tiffany to learn and explore within the book. Tiffany's new found family are Jehovah's Witnesses, something that has very little representation in YA. Tiffany is an outsider in her family, school, and her family's religious beliefs. She's not sure where she fits in and Davis beautifully writes about that feeling that is familiar to so many teens. Davis also writes about Tiffany's loss after her mother dies. Davis's writing is sensitive and will ring true to teens who are also facing their own loss.

Readers should know that this book includes scenes of abuse involving Tiffany's father. He has strict religious beliefs and uses them as his reasoning for withholding medication, not allowing Tiffany to visit friends, and requiring his family to follow strict rules. Some scenes in this book are incredibly difficult to read.

While the drama was definitely entertaining I just couldn't stand most of what was going on. You have a stereotypical religious family that looks down on others, a hypocritical sister who infuriated me 80% of the time, and a family that claims to be religious yet ignores an important part of the bible.
*spoiler below*
One of the things that bothered me most was when Tiffany said she wanted God to give her mother back and then
found her mother's tapes and when someone says "it's like you have her back" she ignores it and continues to hate God. I know it shouldn't bother me because I'm personally not a Jehovah's Witness but it was so clear and yet it just slides right over her head.
The ending wasn't too bad and I liked that everyone made up but that's all I can say was any good.
Overall this book just really wasn't for me and if you are a JH you might want to skip this one.

Sixteen-year-old Tiffany Sly has just lost her mom to cancer and is flying out to live with her dad, who she has never met before. And his family, who she didn't know existed. This new family is extravagantly wealthy and her new life is oh so different from her old one. 

But Tiffany has a secret. Just before she flew from her home in Chicago to be with her dad in LA, a man appeared on her doorstep who believes that he is Tiffany's real dad. Tiffany has just seven days before he will come knocking to demand a paternity test. And honestly, Tiffany isn't really sure which man she wants to be her dad. 

Fundamentally, this is a novel about a girl trying to figure out who she is and who she wants to be when her whole life has just been thrown upside down. Tiffany was a great character to read. She is lively and likeable, someone you would want to be your friend. 

She also suffers from alopecia and anxiety,  is an atheist, and Davis openly addresses all of these things unflinchingly, without allowing them to overrun the plot. These things are part of Tiffany but they are not what her whole story is about. Her alopecia makes her insecure and her weave is itchy and distracting. She feels frustrated when her new family is determined to make her a Jehovah's Witness, like them, instead of listening to why she no longer believes in God. Her anxiety flares up during this stressful week. 

Davis writes about anxiety well. The fear is palpable on the page and the frantic energy, the sheer panic and terror, leaps up at you. I often felt my heart racing as Tiffany's anxiety would leap to life, racing through the pages to make sure she found peace. 

Her new family was interesting and it felt like Davis was trying to do a bit too much. It was overwhelming and felt a bit unreal, which I think is how it felt Tiffany, that Davis was trying to create those some feelings in the reader, but for me, it just made it harder to buy all the parts of the plot.

This really fell apart in the character of the dad, Anthony Stone. A Jehovah's Witness, an OB/GYN at a hospital, and who has periods of abuse that seem to be largely ignored by the plot. He severely mistreats his autistic two-year old, downplaying her diagnosis and punishing her for things that even an able-bodied two-year-old wouldn't understand. He immediately expects Tiffany to comply with the rules of the house (including no extensions to hide her alopecia and Tiffany hides her anti-anxiety medication from him, since he strongly disapproves of psychiatry, which feels weird from a doctor). When these rules are violated by Tiffany or one of his other daughters, he yells, shames, and even hits Tiffany at one point. This doesn't even begin to touch on his homophobia towards his married, lesbian neighbors. 

**spoilers here**

The book ends with Tiffany staying with the Stones, since Anthony is her biological dad. They ease up on the rules for Tiffany, though presumably not the other girls. Anthony promises to try harder and they all live happily ever after as a family. This felt too put together, too clean, for all of the conflict that the body of the story held, which was really disappointing.

Overall, this book was delightful, up until the last 30-50 pages. As disappointing as the ending was, it didn't totally ruin the book for me. This was a great palate cleanser, with deep insight into how difficult it can be to find everything in your life turned upside down.

This was an ok book for me. Nothing bad about it. I did really like our main character, Tiffany. I feel like I would have had similar reactions to situations that she was in. I also loved Marcus' character. I'm glad he was such a great friend while also not having to be romantic. Her father on the other hand infuriated me so much. Yes, there was a little character development but not much. He sucked. I wasn't the biggest fan of the ending but I guess it was realistic.
I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great read with family issues at the center. It could have handled mental illness a bit more deftly, but it was a good read that will be welcome in the collection.

6 Show more
Review I am Tiffany Sly, and she is me.

I have to admit this book surprised me. I wasn't sure where this book was going to go, because I admittedly did NOT read the blurb for this book.

I have seen the cover, and honestly--that was enough for me. I have to pat myself on the back--because I did well. This was a great read.

Tiffany Sly's Mom dies from cancer--and Tiffany is sent to live with the father she never met--in a totally new state. BUT, before she leaves, another man comes forward, claiming to be Tiffany's Dad. She promises to keep this secret for seven days. Seven days until he demands the DNA test, and his timing could not be worst.

When I started reading this book, I have seen so much of myself in it, I was both thrilled and frightened.

It has often been said, that African-Americans in general, don't pay close enough attention to mental health. So, I appreciated this take on mental health. I appreciated the author's presentation and approach to Tiffany's anxiety.

I'm no expert on anxiety, but as someone who suffers from some form of it, I can say her depiction is pretty accurate--scarily so.

Aside from that, Tiffany's character is completely relatable. Her search for her place in the world, trying to fit in, while standing out--it's a place we often find ourselves in; both as young adults and adults.

The family dynamic was initially overwhelming for both the reader and for Tiffany--but it was a perfect fit for the story--and the development of the plot.

I won't say much about it, because I want you--the reader, to experience it on your own--with all of its surprises and revelations.

I will, however, briefly talk about the father. He was infuriating in his ignorance, but understandable. As a Christina, I often find the portrayal of overzealous Christians (or similar religions), frustrating. I know there are people like that, so I get it.

Anyway, the author did a good job of portraying both sides of the religious coin.

And before I finish this review, I want to talk about Marcus--my favorite character. With a white painted face, and a dysfunctional heart--Marcus weaseled his way right into my heart. His words were few, but their impact was big. His character was wise beyond his years and deeper than most intellectuals. His part in the book was minimal but he pushed Tiffany forward, and I absolutely loved his character. I loved him so much, I would love to see in a book by himself.

This book was absolutely necessary for the same way the black lives matter novels are--because in the same way that we need novels that take a stance against racial injustices, mental health representation for WOC is just as important.

I appreciated this book for what it represented and for its entertainment.

The religious back and forth was a bit heavy-handed, but after a while, I was able to look past it. The story is worth it, and the characters are even more worth it. A great debut.

I love to read YA where the family is at the center of the story. There are too many instances where there's no real sense of the main character's connection to their family, which is just so unrealistic for teens since so much of who a person is (especially at that age) is in direct opposition to or trying to be like their familial unit. This book tackles that subject head on as Tiffany tries to see how she fits in with her estranged father (who might not be her bio dad) and his new family. I thought the story telling was effective, even though it was hard to read at times given some of the abusive behaviors Tiffany's father exhibits at times. The book felt real and I would definitely pick up another contemporary from the author.

<b><i>"What happens when God doesn't answer prayers?"</i></b>
This is the question that Tiffany Sly asks herself after her mother succumbs to leukemia. On her sixteenth birthday Tiffany finds herself fighting against her anxiety disorder as she flies across the country to meet her father for the first time. When she arrives at his home she is greeted by her siblings and stepmother -- the family she never knew existed until now -- and finds herself at the mercy of her father's stringent house rules. It is enough of a struggle to confront the loss of her mother. But how is Tiffany expected to handle these new family dynamics that are rooted in an unfamiliar religion especially when she herself has lost faith in God? Matters are made worse by revelations that Anthony Stone may not be her father. Another man has stepped forward claiming that Tiffany is his daughter. Tiffany cannot reconcile his claims with the woman that she knew as her mother, even though she sees some of herself in this other man. She also cannot fathom the havoc that these revelations will have on her Grammy and her new family.

<b>Tiffany Sly Lives Here Now</b> is a complex YA novel about family, faith and belonging. Despite the fact that issues such as grief, mental disorders, and faith are woven into the fabric of the story Tiffany Sly is manages to be refreshing at its core. Dana L. Davis has written a wonderful debut novel that I am glad I had the pleasure to read. Big thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Teen and Dana L. Davis for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After her mother dies from a long battle with cancer, Tiffany is sent to California to live with a father she never knew about. Tiffany is desperate to go back to her old neighborhood and live with her elderly grandmother. However, before she can go back, she must first give her father’s house a try. New house means new rules and Tiffany’s dad is super strict. He monitors her social communications, won’t let her have a weave (which she uses to cover her alopecia), and is working to take away her anti-anxiety medications. Tiffany stays truthful and stays respectful even in the face of her ruthless father. Tiffany begins hanging with the next door neighbor, whom she is forbidden to see. While the neighbor is the weird kid at school, she finds him extremely intelligent and insightful. He is working on writing a book about his after-life experience. Can Tiffany find a way to fit with her new family and home?

Overall, I thought that this was an important narrative to add to the YA collection. It provides a character of color with issues like Alopecia and Anxiety, which is typically not found in YA books. I enjoyed many of the characters, though I could never warm up to the father. I had serious issues with the treatment of mental health. I think that the consequences and issues surrounding mental health needed more weighty language.

4 stars

I definitely enjoyed reading this debut!

Tiffany Sly Lives Here Now is thoroughly real with its relatable and realistic main character, Tiffany Sly, who is funny and real and a little bit naïve, but thoroughly genuine.

I loved Tiffany Sly. I want to be Tiffany Sly’s best friend. I want Tiffany Sly as my best friend. Her voice really shines through in this addictive debut, and I can honestly say that I found her to be a really interesting and fun narrator.

The one thing I really love about Harlequin Teen titles is how addictive they are–and Tiffany Sly is no exception. Her voice really shines through in a natural manner and it never feels awkward or stunted to read. I love how she has her quirks but Davis writes her in a way that gives you the impression that Davis is very comfortable in forming Tiffany’s voice, which I thought was done very well.

She has these quirks, like listing happy items (Pixy Stix, Care Bears, etc.) when she’s angry or stressed and it’s not like a super huge deal, it’s just part of her narrative. Davis incorporates this seamlessly and I loved reading that. (Especially because I am very fond of Care Bears, although I do feel like that was such a “back then” kind of thing that kids these days don’t know what a Care Bear really is. Those neon ones are a disgrace, just saying.)

I sped through this novel, and I just really loved reading about Tiffany and her emotions and thoughts and feelings. You can really get into her head, which I greatly enjoyed doing, and although life is pretty sucky for her, she still finds the bright side in things, which I found really nice.

But, there were a few things that didn’t completely float my boat.

One of the biggest was how this book strongly advertises “Two dads. Seven days.” or “She only has seven days to get to know the dad she just met” or something like that, but it felt like this was very much underemphasized throughout the novel. When I read the tagline on the cover after reading, I was really confused for a minute because I didn’t get what it was referring to.

Because although Tiffany Sly does have this problem, I didn’t really recognize it as the very large, very important central idea of the book. So either the marketing was funky and a bit misleading, or the emphasis was weird. I just felt like the book didn’t dedicate enough emphasis and time to that specific aspect of the plotline and the urgency behind that tagline to warrant the tagline’s existence.

The other thing that I wasn’t too fond of was the lack of resolution. I felt like there were a lot of loose ends in this novel that didn’t really get cleaned up. I read a digital review copy, but I was approved after the pub date so I assume this is the same as the published edition?

But to me it felt like Tiffany barely got any closure. She got closure with her dad, her step mom, and maybe a couple other things, but I feel like she definitely didn’t get closure with her sisters (and one of her sisters’ mean girl friends), her struggling academics, the life she left behind, her grief over her mother, the guy she punched, etc.

I just feel like a lot of these plotlines weren’t really wrapped up. And although life is messy and not necessarily wrapped up in a perfect bow, I do wish that it had more resolution at the end.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Tiffany Sly Lives Here Now and absolutely loved the intersectionality of mental health and black girl representation, as well as other naturally-incorporated diverse characters. I’ll be keeping an eye on Dana L. Davis for what she comes up with next!

If you like super diverse casts, an open and genuine narrator, family themes, and/or absolutely zero romance, then I definitely recommend you check out Tiffany Sly Lives Here Now!