by Candice Iloh
First published 2020
Ada carries the weight of being the first daughter. Her name means oldest girl, means pressure, means the honor of her Nigerian family sits heavy on her shoulders. When she arrives at a Historically Black College for freshman year, she tastes freedom for the first time. Miles from home, she can finally make her own choices. Ada throws herself into the world of dance and begins exploring her sexuality. But the past follows her. Her mother's addiction haunts her thoughts. Her Nigerian father's efforts to build a home for the family shape her memories. As Ada moves deeper into this new world, she faces a choice. She can carry the destiny others have mapped out for her, or she can claim ownership of her body and her future. Written in verse, this is Ada's story of shedding the expectations that others have placed on her and finding the courage to build a life that belongs to her alone.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, family-life, african-american, contemporary, young-adult
Vibes: emotional, intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, self-discovery
Setting: Nigeria, United States
Period: 21st-century
416 pages · Kindle Edition · Dutton Books for Young Readers
Content warnings: addiction, mental-illness