Tiffany Sly Lives Here Now by Dana L. Davis Published by Harlequin Teen on May 1st 2018
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary
Goodreads
I’ve got seven days to come clean to my new dad. Seven days to tell the truth…
For sixteen-year-old Tiffany Sly, life hasn’t been safe or normal for a while. Losing her mom to cancer has her a little bit traumatized and now she has to leave her hometown of Chicago to live with the biological dad she’s never known.
Anthony Stone is a rich man with four other daughters—and rules for every second of the day. Tiffany tries to make the best of things, but she doesn’t fit into her new luxurious, but super-strict, home—or get along with her standoffish sister London. The only thing that makes her new life even remotely bearable is the strange boy across the street. Marcus McKinney has had his own experiences with death, and the unexpected friendship that blossoms between them is the only thing that makes her feel grounded.
But Tiffany has a secret. Another man claims he’s Tiffany’s real dad—and she only has seven days before he shows up to demand a paternity test and the truth comes out. With her life about to fall apart all over again, Tiffany finds herself discovering unexpected truths about her father, her mother and herself, and realizing that maybe family is in the bonds you make—and that life means sometimes taking risks.
I received a copy of this novel for review from the publisher. This does not affect my thoughts on the book or this review.
I’m always on the lookout for debut novels and with contemporary YA being my favourite genre, I knew I’d have to read Tiffany Sly Lives Here Now. The book definitely didn’t disappoint and I can’t wait to read more from Davis.
When Tiffany’s mother passes away from cancer, she is sent to live in California with the father that she’s never met or known about. The only problem is that the day before she was set to fly, another man appeared at her door claiming to be her real father. In seven days, she’ll find out the results of the paternity test but for now, she has to adjust to her new living situation in California without anyone knowing about the test.
Tiffany Sly Lives Here Now definitely had an interesting premise and its execution was well done. The novel was really about family and moving on after grief. Tiffany was a very complex character and I think that Davis was able to write a teenage voice very well. I also liked that Tiffany struggled with anxiety and that it was definitely well explored. It’s not often that YA novels see characters with therapists and medication for mental well-being and I think that’s a very important thing to do.
The plot wasn’t too predictable and I did enjoy the novel overall but sometimes Tiffany’s humour was a bit of a miss for me or I found the novel start to drag on instead of flow naturally. Despite this, I still really enjoyed the novel and I really can’t wait for Davis’ next book.
Overall, Tiffany Sly Lives Here Now was a great debut. If you’re on the lookout for new debut authors, you definitely need to add Dana L. Davis to your list.
