Happyish

Alex Martinez is having a hard year. She’s gotten divorced, messed up at work, and worst of all, been diagnosed with a dangerous brain tumor. She can’t bring herself to reveal her diagnosis to her mothers, as her sister’s early death was so hard on them. Recalling that she and her sister used to fantasize about the trips they’d take as adults, Alex embarks on a memorial road trip. Is this the best move for a very sick person without health insurance? Perhaps not, but the people whom Alex meets teach her to be present in the moment and come to terms with her diagnosis. Every person she meets makes her reevaluate her past, helping her to find the courage to lean on her family and friends. Narrator Vivia Font’s authentic pronunciation honors Cuban American Escudero’s (The Apology Project) words. Font ably conveys the wry, bittersweet moments peppered throughout and brings out the emotions in this deeply moving novel.