6/10, I found this YA book a bit monotonous and the plot really didn't go anywhere. In fact this story is one of the most bizarre stories I've ever read, the plot is essentially all over the place. The first part was about an elephant seal on the road, then she unexpectedly gave birth to her daughter and the main character just watched over the two seals for much of the book? As I read on, the topic of the plot, which felt like diary or memoir entries, slowly switched to contemplating about life, languages, refugees, exams, and other random events, such as hypnosis, and belly dancing? What kind of characters even do these types of things, it's not something I would find in a realistic book such as this. Also has a lot of discussion about getting boys and hooking up which I found uncomfortable, these characters are only teenagers, not adults. If you like contemplative novels skip this one and try Where the Road Leads Us by Robin Reul instead of this. ( )