Fall to Pieces

Gr 10 Up—This debut novel is told from the point of view of Ella, 17, whose best friend jumped off a roof during a drunken party and killed herself. Ella knows that her friends Petal and Mark are hiding something about Amy's suicide; they refuse to tell her exactly what happened that night. The three of them play Pick Me Ups, a game that requires them to jump from great heights, landing bruised and battered, but also filled with adrenaline. Ella uses Pick Me Ups to try and get her memories back from the night of Amy's death as well as to imagine how her friend felt when she died. "Pick Me Ups eclipse the world, leave you alone for a split second that feels infinite, where you feel infinite." A new boy, Tristan, intrigues Ella, so she brings him into the risky antics, and he tries to help Ella find her way out of the emotionally wrenching hole into which she has sunk. The three main characters are not very likable (they can be cruel to classmates not in their circle), but Tristan shows kindness. Though slow to start, the novel, which contains strong language, picks up once Ella begins to regain her memories.—Elizabeth Kahn, Patrick F. Taylor Science & Technology Academy, Jefferson, LA