Sunshine State is an innovative, heartfelt, and incredibly poignant reflection about life in the state of Florida, particularly in and around Pinellas County. In eight essays, Sarah Gerard makes some grand indictments about our national greed by exploring her romantic, familial, and observational relationships with a host of unforgettable Floridians.

My big problem with this collection stems from its lack of balance: some of these essays were super long, with tedious informational portions I skimmed through. On the other hand, anecdotal pieces like “Rabbit” and “BFF” felt a bit rushed, when I would’ve gladly read more of them.

Even with this imbalance, I’d highly recommend Sunshine State to anyone looking for essays that are political, personal, and cutting-edge all at once.

Actual Rating: 3.5 stars, but I believe in rounding up!