For fans of Angie Cruz, What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez is at times laugh out loud hilarious while also delivering an poignant account of a young woman searching for herself as she searches for her sister. The first page left me breathless! Jimenez delivers a sophisticated, plainspoken account of a Latina teen grappling with the urge and opportunity to escape her Staten Island family while also recognizing the value of the intense, turbulent bond she has with her mother and sister.
What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez by Claire Jimenez, (List Price: $17.99, Grand Central Publishing, 9781538725979, February 2024)
Reviewed by Adah Fitzgerald, Main Street Books in Davidson, NC