A Life, Redefined

Gr 9 Up–Rowan, 17, wishes for nothing more than a normal life. This isn’t easy, for she comes from a dysfunctional home, ruined by secrets, lies, violence, abuse, and death. Moreover, for the past seven years, she has lived with the guilt that she caused the death of her baby brother; she was the last person to have been with him and had put him to bed. She blames herself, and her family does, too; her mother has become emotionally absent, and her father is verbally abusive. To deal with her pain, Rowan has taken to self-harm. She hides that well, even among the few people in her life whom she can trust—Jess, her best friend, and Miss J, her guidance counselor. When Rowan is paired with Mike Anderson in biology class, she glimpses a chance for happiness. Despite the difficult themes, this is a compelling, often enjoyable book, featuring an interesting small-town setting.