Erika L. Sánchez’s first novel, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, is based around the life of Julia, 15, who must navigate through her last years of high school dealing with the loss of her older sister, family pressures, complicated relationships, and the necessity of college. 

     The novel opens with Olga’s (Julia’s older sister) funeral. Olga appeared to be the ‘perfect Mexican daughter,’ which made her the favorite child. Julia and her mother did not get along, and Olga’s death made it worse. Feeling like an outcast both at school and in her own home and struggling with undiagnosed mental health issues, Julia decides to learn more about her dead sister. She comes across a few shocking things that lead her to believe that Olga did not lead the boring life that everyone thought she did. With the help of her friends, old and new, and a little sneaking around, Julia is determined to discover the secrets of her sister, while also discovering who she is.

     Erica Gerner, a student who also read the novel, states, “I found the writing style easy to follow and could relate to the characters.” 

     The writing style quickly draws the reader in, and the strong plot keeps the reader eager to keep reading. The realistic and relatable characters allow the reader to have a deeper understanding of the characters and to connect personal experiences to the novel.

     I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter is a powerful novel that cleverly teaches that things are not always what they seem by allowing the characters to have secrets unknown even by the reader, creating a compelling story that proves difficult to put down.