Here for a Good Time

“Gitxaała Nation author Spencer (I Won’t Feel This Way Forever) deploys frank, realistic portrayals of residential schools, sexual violence, and suicide in this emotionally raw novel about a white and Indigenous teen in 1990 British Columbia struggling to navigate shifting relationships upon uncovering harsh truths about her family’s past. . . . Short chapters and breezy language relay this somber rumination on family and its influence on finding one’s place in the world.” —Publishers Weekly

“Spencer writes with sincerity about a ‘fictionalized Indigenous community,’ examining how intergenerational trauma from residential schools affected families. The short, easily digestible chapters sustain an effective pace, and Morgan is a realistically drawn teen with conflicting emotions, desires, and needs. A moving rendition of growing up in tumultuous times and circumstances.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Readers will understand Morgan’s highs and lows, sympathize when life is hard, and cheer her on when she makes lemonade out of lemons. . . . A great historical fiction addition for libraries needing more books for reluctant readers.” —School Library Journal

“A look into a life marred by tragedies, both her own and bigger, more consequential ones she’s still trying to fully understand.” —Booklist