Color Me In meets I Am Not Your Perfect MexicanDaughter in Everything Within and In Between, a deeply honestcoming-of-age story about reclaiming a heritage buried under assimilation, thebonds within families, and defining who you are for yourself.For Ri Fernández’s entire life, she’s been told, “We live inAmerica and we speak English.” Raised by her strict Mexican grandma, Ri hasnever been allowed to learn Spanish.What’s more, her grandma has pulled Ri awayfrom the community where they once belonged. In its place, Ri has grown uptrying to fit in among her best friend’s world of mansions and country clubs inan attempt try to live out her grandmother’s version of the “American Dream.”In her heart, Ri has always believed that her mother, whodisappeared when Ri was young, would accept her exactly how she is and not tryto turn her into someone she’s never wanted to be. So when Ri finds a long-hiddenletter from her mom begging for a visit, she decides to reclaim what Grandmakept from her: her heritage and her mom.But nothing goes as planned. Her momisn’t who Ri imagined she would be and finding her doesn’t make Ri’s struggle tonavigate the interweaving threads of her mixed heritage any less complicated.Nobody has any idea of who Ri really is—not even Ri herself. Everything Within and In Between is a powerful newyoung adult novel about one young woman’s journey to rediscover her roots andredefine herself from acclaimed author Nikki Barthelmess.
