This Is How It Happened

Gr 7 Up—High school senior Genevieve Larsen describes herself via hashtags: #blondambition, #premed, and #neversayquit. Her whole world changes when she wakes up in a hospital bed with no memory of the car accident that killed her boyfriend, Dallas Kade. The death of rising YouTube star Dallas creates a storm of online grief and hate. At first, the Missouri teen cannot remember the events that led to the crash. Eventually, Gen regains her memory and realizes the wrong person is being held responsible. Stokes explores the power of social media and online shaming as well as the dangers of "drowsy driving." The book effectively demonstrates the effects of cyberbullying. The life and reputation of the man initially blamed for the accident are ruined, and Genevieve faces deepening guilt as she recovers her memory. However, Stokes's narrative stumbles in the "drowsy driving" plot. The circumstances of the accident don't ring true. The story takes a turn as Genevieve heads to Utah for the summer, which makes the novel needlessly long. The pacing is bogged down by a shift in tone and focus as the plot veers into the summer romance genre.