The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin delivers a gripping romance about two teens: a certified genius living with a diagnosed mental illness and a politician's son who is running from his own addiction and grief. Don't miss this gut punch of a novel about mental illness, loss, and discovering you are worthy of love.
Scars exist to remind us of what we’ve survived.
DETACHED Since Shelbi enrolled at Windward Academy as a senior and won’t be there very long, she hasn’t bothered making friends. What her classmates don’t know about her can’t be used to hurt her—you know, like it did at her last school.
WASTED Andy Criddle is not okay. At all. He’s had far too much to drink. Again. Which is bad. And things are about to get worse.
When Shelbi sees Andy at his lowest, she can relate. So she doesn’t resist reaching out. And there’s no doubt their connection has them both seeing stars . . . but the closer they get, the more the past threatens to pull their universes apart.
#1 New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone delivers a tour de force about living with grief, prioritizing mental health, and finding love amid the chaos.---from the publisher
288 pages 978-0593307700 Ages 14-17
Keywords: high school, mental health, loss, grief, guilt, alcoholism, mental illness, dealing with feelings, dealing with emotions, African American and Black Stories, Black Girl books, African American author, 14 year old, 15 year old, 16 year old, 17 year old, diversity, diverse books, self harm, dysfunctional family
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A couple of years ago I was checking out my groceries at the Commissary and the young lady who was ringing up my ground beef and cookies, got into a conversation with me about mental health and how important it was to everyone to open up that world to the light. She said she had not even heard of bipolar disease until she moved to Maryland. I didn't ask her but clearly someone in her life was dealing with bipolar disease and knowing what it was, what it looked like, what the symptoms are gave her and probably everyone related to that person some tools to deal with it.
Where do we learn about mental illness especially when we've graduated from school and gone on? We find out from friends and family if they know, but sometimes you have to turn to a different friend - that friend is the author who writes a story that gives you a chance to walk into the lives of characters who are struggling with mental illness. That author gives you the chance to see what it looks like to make choices in the grip of mental illness. That author opens up our choice to care, to feel compassion and to leave judging out on the curb.
So here's the gift Nic Stone wrote for us.
Andy Criddle is texting a girl....except he dialed one digit off and now he's pouring out his heart to a stranger and he doesn't even know it. Andy has had so much to drink he can't type. This is the Congresswoman's son. This is the salutatorian with the perfect 800 score. Yep, that guy is drunk...so drunk he is about to get into the car, wreck it, get a DUI.... and a lawyer.
Shelbi is the girl he's texting by mistake. She has no idea he is the same guy she saw at the car crash ...the same guy whose wallet she picked up and now wants to return to him.
Two great teens ..... one shouldering the challenge of a mental illness and the other holding the guilt of a mistake made. How do they go forward? Can they thrive? Can they carve out success and self-compassion in two lives challenged by mental illness, pain and the blame?
Nobody wants to show the truth of the pain, the fear, the feelings they are working to protect 24/7. But until we let ourselves see that pain and that fear and until we are willing to tell it to the right medical professionals, we won't get the help we need and .... deserve ...witness Shelbi and Andy.
Two great kids....falling in love with each other....needing to fall in love with themselves. Mental illness isn't pretty but it's real and it's there and it's time to name it and bring it out into the light.... so the challenge can be shared. Back to the lady in the Commissary - she didn't even know what to call it.... until she came to Maryland.
A lot of people won't know what to call it until they start reading this courageous revelation....and stay with it until the end.
Thank you, Nic, for bringing the light. Thank you for your courage. Thank you for reaching out to the millions of readers you may never meet but whose lives will be changed by your voice.
Recommended by: Barb Langridge, abookandahug.com
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