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THIS IS WHERE THE WORLD ENDS

Readers will be left to decide for themselves whether this is a tragic love story or a psychological thriller; regardless,...

A twisty, stylized examination of a catastrophic relationship.

Eighteen-year-old Janie Vivian believed in fairy tales and metaphors and true love. Her best friend, Micah, believed that he loved Janie. Despite her crazy ideas and unrelenting mind games, he believed he loved Janie “apocalyptically.” Little did he know that the end of their world was right around the corner. The story of the two friends’ sometimes beautiful and oft-dysfunctional relationship is slowly revealed through an interesting combination of Micah’s present-day accounts, Janie’s flashbacks, and her occasional journal entries. Though it is Micah who wakes up in a hospital room unable to explain to police how he got there or what happened to Janie, the novel, just like Micah’s world, revolves mostly around her, and she is a force. Watching Janie toy with Micah’s heart while executing a plan to make another classmate fall hopelessly in love with her is cringeworthy and at times difficult to bear. When Janie’s plans take an unexpected and horrible turn, it becomes equally difficult to watch her unravel and to drag an unsuspecting Micah down with her. Zhang weaves a dark, complicated tale, steeped in obsession, painful secrets, and mind-numbing vodka.

Readers will be left to decide for themselves whether this is a tragic love story or a psychological thriller; regardless, this is most definitely a novel that will have fans talking. (Fiction. 14 & up)

Pub Date: March 22, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-06-238304-4

Page Count: 304

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Review Posted Online: Dec. 7, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2015

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IF ONLY I HAD TOLD HER

A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.

In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.

Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.

A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)

Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024

ISBN: 9781728276229

Page Count: 416

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024

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IF HE HAD BEEN WITH ME

There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.

The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.

Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.

There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.   (Fiction. 14 & up)

Pub Date: April 1, 2013

ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5

Page Count: 336

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013

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