When Eliza Hart, the most popular girl at Ventana Ranch boarding school, is found dead on the cliffs outside her dormitory, Ellie Sokoloff is determined to figure out what happened to her. After all, Eliza was Ellie’s childhood best friend.
Never mind that ever since Ellie arrived at school Eliza has spread terrible rumors about her, calling her a liar and a stalker, when all Ellie wanted to do was rekindle their old friendship. Or that Ellie’s claustrophobia limits where she can go and what she can do. Or that Ellie’s suitemate, Sam, is the only one who will help her . . . because to everyone else, Ellie looks like the top suspect.
Can Ellie clear her name and solve the mystery behind Eliza’s death? Her hunt for the truth will uncover secrets she never imagined, sending her deep into her own memories of her childhood with Eliza Hart.
New York Times bestselling author Alyssa Sheinmel delivers a gripping mystery and a sensitive and moving examination of the secrets that can hold us back–and even destroy us.
Expected Publication Date: November 28th, 2017 from Scholastic Press.
Length: 336 Pages
TRIGGER WARNING: This book and review does mention suicide.
Before I dive into the review, I want to thank Alyssa Sheinmel and Scholastic Press for sending me a copy of this book to review! This is the first time an author has contacted me for a review and I am so happy I can do this for her! I hope this review does the book justice.
This is not a book I would have picked up on my own. I don’t usually read thrillers or books that touch upon suicide. I dont like thrillers usually because I get scared easily and when I was eighteen my brothers best friend took his own life. But when I was contacted by the author and I read what the book was about, I decided I was going to give it a chance. And I am really happy I did.
Ellie has spent her high school career being bullied by a girl who was once her best friend. She has spent four years trying to combat her own metal illness while trying to convince herself that she’s not crazy and that she doesn’t need other friends.
Eliza’s death really shakes Ellie up and causes her to discover parts of herself she didnt even know existed.
The story is written with different POV’s, switching between Ellie’s as she’s telling over what happened between the time Eliza dies and until a few days after and Eliza as she’s narrating her death and what went through her mind during the whole time.
The story shows grieving from many different perspectives and shows how different people react to having a mental illness. It is one of the better YA mental illness books I have read because there is no romanticizing of any sorts being done in this book.
The cover is perfect for this story in many different ways. It relates alot to both Eliza and Ellie. I like how simple it while being able to convey alot of meaning.
I will say that this book was hard to read at points, it made me cry and it made me think differently. I think the characters are well developed and play very well off of each other. There are alot of topics touched up: claustrophobia, depression, racism, bullying and many other topics.
I think this is a very important read. It is a different mental health read than the ones we usually get in the YA community and this is one that I know people will enjoy. Again, thank you so much Ms. Sheinmel and Scholastic Press for sending me an ARC of this book! I really appreciate it.
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