Thank you Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Brittney Morris’s “This Book Might Be About Zinnia” is a poignant, emotionally layered contemporary YA book that beautifully explores identity and family secrets all while demonstrating the complex process of growing up. Told in dual timelines from two unforgettable characters—Zinnia in 2024 and Tuesday in 2006—this story is a slow-reveal masterpiece that brings together mystery and heartache into a deeply satisfying and resonant story.

Zinnia Davis is a smart, book-loving teenager trying to craft the perfect personal essay for her Harvard application. But when an admissions officer implies her adoption story "lacks heart," Zinnia begins to unravel the mystery of her birth mother. The spark? A newly released novel, Little Heart, written by her favorite author, about a girl with a heart-shaped birthmark separated from her mother—just like Zinnia. Is this more than just a coincidence? Meanwhile, in 2006, Tuesday Walker is a Black teen navigating high school while grieving a life-altering loss. Emotionally isolated and stuck in a toxic household with a manipulative mother, Tuesday turns to journaling for comfort. But when her journal disappears, it triggers a chain of events that brings dangerous truths to light—truths that ripple across time and could shape Zinnia’s present in ways no one expects.

Morris excels at character development. Zinnia is sheltered, anxious, and self-aware—her journey is one of growth, privilege-checking, and emotional honesty. Her relationship with her best friend Milo is refreshingly real and filled with healthy conflict, humor, and warmth. Milo isn’t afraid to call Zinnia out when necessary, and watching Zinnia realize that her friendships matter more than elite college ambitions is a highlight of her arc.

Tuesday, on the other hand, is a deeply sympathetic figure—strong, isolated, and doing her best in a world that constantly fails her. Her chapters are raw and heartbreaking, portraying the emotional toll of being young, unsupported, and forced to make an impossible decision. Her mother’s emotional abuse and the overall lack of a safety net make her journey both tragic and heroic. You will root hard for Tuesday, and her emotional payoff at the end feels especially well-earned.

Told in alternating perspectives, the book gradually builds suspense and emotional depth as the connection between Zinnia and Tuesday slowly comes into focus. The dual timelines are cleverly constructed, giving you an omniscient view of how these two young women’s stories intersect. Even when you begin to piece things together before Zinnia does, the tension remains gripping.

Themes of adoption, race, family, identity, and forgiveness are sensitively handled. Particularly powerful is the emotional nuance of searching for one's origin story in a world that doesn’t always offer answers—or support. Morris’s prose is sharp, compassionate, and contemporary. She nails the voice of both teens while layering in moments of humor, sorrow, and deep introspection. The writing respects the intelligence of its young audience while offering plenty for adult readers to chew on as well.

By the time Zinnia and Tuesday’s timelines collide, the emotional payoff is everything you hope it will be—heart-wrenching, tender, and full of hope. The reunion scene is beautifully written, and while the ending wraps up with a few well-timed conveniences, it doesn’t feel unearned. Instead, it lands like a warm exhale after a long, emotional journey.

“This Book Might Be About Zinnia” is not just about Zinnia—it’s about all the girls trying to find their place in a complicated world. It’s about identity, resilience, and the invisible threads that connect us. Brittney Morris has crafted a thoughtful, honest, and unforgettable story that deserves a permanent spot on every YA shelf.

As a transracial millennial adoptee, this book hit home in so many ways. Told through two perspectives-Zinnia and Tuesday- this book weaves a unique tale of family and friendship. Book loving gen-z adoptee Zinnia is looking for the final touch to her Harvard essay when her best friend Milo gives her a book- a book that she begins to believe is about her. We follow Zinnia on her quest to unravel a long lost story. Tuesday is an 18 year old who made an impossible decision and spends every day living with the results. Together, these two lives intertwine in a moving way.

Thank you, Brittney Morris for writing this story.

This book was so, so, SO good. This was one of my first contemporary fiction reads in a while and I can truly say it didn’t disappoint.

This story follows Zinnia as she unravels the mystery around her adoption/birth mother. Along the way we get to see her learn a lot about herself, her anxiety, her identity - and I enjoyed every moment. Being a teenager is ROUGH, and this story really spoke to how difficult it is to manage big feelings and perceived familial expectations when you’re experiencing everything for the first time. Additionally, her mom’s story??? My god.

Absolutely recommend - and thank you to the publisher for this e-arc!!