Apple in the Middle

I read this because we're reading it in 7th grade ELA this year; it starts out okay for a middle grade novel but falls apart for me by the end. The death at the end doesn't really seem to serve a purpose and a lot of the character growth feels ham-fisted. Also, the constant parenthetical asides and fairly outdated references make her seem less realistic as a character.

I really wanted to love this; a local-ish author! Own voices! But I think there are better options out there.