Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
—WORK TITLE: Everyone We’ve Been
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):—±—
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE:
CITY:
STATE: AB
COUNTRY: Canada
NATIONALITY:
http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2105930/sarah-everett
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.: no2016130587
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/no2016130587
HEADING: Everett, Sarah
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374 __ |a Novelists |2 lcsh
375 __ |a female
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670 __ |a Everyone we’ve been, 2016 : |b title page (Sarah Everett) ; jacket flap (Born in West Africa; currently resides in Alberta, Canada, where she writes YA novels).
PERSONAL
Female.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Sarah Everett mixes science fiction elements with teen romance in her debut novel, Everyone We’ve Been, aimed at a young adult audience. Protagonist Addison “Addie” Sullivan, a high school student, is attracted to a boy she meets on the bus going home from a concert and begins conversing with him. Then the bus crashes, and Addie continues seeing the boy wherever she goes, but no one else can, so her friends conclude that she is hallucinating. Addie suspects there is something more going on, so she visits a clinic that deals with neurological problems. She realizes that she has visited the clinic before, for an erasure of painful memories, while flashbacks reveal that the boy she sees greatly resembles Zach, whom she had dated eighteen months earlier. As the story unfolds, it addresses family interactions, the nature of memory, and surviving heartbreak. Everett told an online interviewer at Adventures in YA Publishing that she hopes the novel “makes readers think about the ways our experiences shape our lives—how we are different after certain things, and how we have the power to determine how those experiences change us.”
Several critics predicted that Everyone We’ve Been would inspire these and other thoughts. Readers will be “pondering the way the way their hearts break and how they remember the ones they lost,” observed Karen Ginman in Booklist. An online reviewer at Bibliophile Confessions noted that “reading this will get you thinking what to do if you’re in Addie’s shoes.” A Publishers Weekly commentator voiced some reservations, saying the narrative is sometimes “heavy-handed” and strains credulity, while summing it up on a positive note as “a complex and thought-provoking story.” Karen Coats, writing in Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, found the tale rather slow-moving, but added: “Patient readers, especially those who have had their own hearts broken, will have lots to think about when considering the wisdom of Addie’s decisions.” A Kirkus Reviews critic termed the plot “unnecessarily drawn out,” and did not consider Everyone We’ve Been an unqualified success, as “the realistic message about the human heart’s resiliency doesn’t always fully merge with the science-fiction elements.” Others, though, offered substantial praise. “I really enjoyed that the novel explored identity … and the question of whether past events (remembered or forgotten) have an effect on who we are and who we will become,” remarked a blogger at Happy Indulgence. Another online reviewer, at Stay Bookish, called Everett’s prose “exquisite and beautiful,” then concluded: “Everyone We’ve Been is a stellar young adult contemporary that deserves much love.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, October 15, 2016, Karen Ginman, review of Everyone We’ve Been, p. 54.
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, November, 2016, Karen Coats, review of Everyone We’ve Been, p. 122.
Kirkus Reviews, July 15, 2016, review of Everyone We’ve Been.
Publishers Weekly, August 15, 2016, review of Everyone We’ve Been, p. 74.
ONLINE
Adventures in YA Publishing, http://www.adventuresinyapublishing.com/ (October 9, 2016), interview with Sarah Everett.
Bibliophile Confessions, http://thebibliophileconfessions.reads-it.com/ (October 11, 2016), review of Everyone We’ve Been.
Brown Bookshelf, https://thebrownbookshelf.com/ (February 9, 2017), essay by Sarah Everett.
Happy Indulgence, http://www.happyindulgencebooks.com/ (October 26, 2016), review of Everyone We’ve Been.
Penguin Random House Web site, http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/ (May 28, 2017), brief biography.
Sarah Everett Home Page, http://www.saraheverettbooks.com (May 28, 2017).
Stay Bookish, http://www.staybookish.com/ (October 13, 2016), review of Everyone We’ve Been.*
Sarah Everett is the author of EVERYONE WE’VE BEEN (Knopf/Penguin Random House). She remembers growing up in enchanted forests, on desert islands and inside a magical wardrobe. She would only ever erase her memory of past karaoke performances and certain fashion choices. She currently lives in Canada, where she is hard at work on her second novel.
Sarah Everett remembers growing up in enchanted forests, on desert islands and inside a magical wardrobe. She would only ever erase her memory of past karaoke performances and certain fashion choices. She was born in west Africa but currently resides in Alberta, Canada where she attends graduate school and writes YA novels. Visit her on Twitter at @heysaraheverett.
About
W H O A M I ?
_EhyphHh
Short version:
Writer. Accidental optimist. Incorrigible daydreamer. Dislikes left turns.
Long(ish) version:
Sarah Everett is the author of EVERYONE WE’VE BEEN (out Oct 4, 2016) and a second untitled novel that she is still hard at work on (both from Knopf/Penguin Random House). She remembers growing up in enchanted forests, on desert islands and inside a magical wardrobe. She would only ever erase her memory of past karaoke performances and certain fashion choices. Her interests include science, Friends, tennis, and reading. She currently lives in Canada where she attends graduate school and writes YA novels.
Sarah is….
right-handed
a science nerd
secretly best friends with Mindy Kaling
a tennis fanatic
a Roger Federer fangirl
taken with all things Christmas (music, ugly Christmas sweaters, gifts, trees, pageants, Santa, movies…shall I go on?)
highly unconvinced, however, about the merits of eggnog and pumpkin-flavored anything (including pumpkins)
equally unconvinced about snapchat as a concept
an introvert
directionally challenged
skeptical of people who claim to actually work at their home office desks
a worrier
silently judging your use of Comic Sans
embarrassed of (and currently rectifying) the massive oversights that are having never read or seen Lord of the Rings (I know) or Harry Potter (I KNOW)
making plans to move to another planet in light of the last confession
Day 9: Sarah Everett
saraheverettThis is a special year for The Brown Bookshelf as we celebrate 10 years of bringing authors and illustrators to booklovers. Today, I’m pleased to feature Sarah Everett. She writes from her home in Canada and released her debut novel Everyone We’ve Been in October 2016. She is currently working on a second young adult novel, but not at her desk. Please welcome Sarah Everett to 28 Days Later!
* The Journey
Like most writers, books have been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. From the time I could read, I was the kid carting home library books by the boatload and reading under the covers after bedtime. I also loved writing from a young age (essays, poetry, short stories, epic emails, etc.), but it never struck me as something I was “allowed” to do as anything other than a hobby. It wasn’t until I was in my late teens that it occurred to me that being a writer was an actual job and that the only permission I needed to write stories was my own.
After that realization, I wrote my first full-length novel and promptly deposited it in its rightful place (under my bed, where no eye has ever seen nor will ever see). Though that first manuscript didn’t work, I fell in love with the process of writing and haven’t stopped since.
* The Inspiration
Growing up, some of my favorite authors were classics like E.B. White, Roald Dahl, Enid Blyton and C.S. Lewis. In recent years, I’ve fallen in love with the works of Jacqueline Woodson, Sarah Dessen, Jenny Han, Rita Williams-Garcia, Nina LaCour, Nicola Yoon, Jandy Nelson, Marcus Zusak and Melina Marchetta. I’m also a big fan of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Khaled Hosseini, Jojo Moyes, Toni Morrison, Jenny Downham and Celeste Ng. These authors are favorites because I’m drawn to honest, affecting realistic fiction. I love stories that move me and characters that don’t leave me when I close the last page.
everyonewevebeen
* The Back Story
Working on the first draft of Everyone We’ve Been was one of the most unique and fun writing experiences I’ve had. The characters and plot came to me fully formed, which meant that writing the book felt a lot like eavesdropping on a bunch of people’s lives and recording it.
I sent the book to my agent (who I’d queried and signed with for another book), we worked on revisions for a few months, went on submission to editors and were lucky to receive an offer from Knopf Books For Young Readers.
A little over four years passed between when I finished the first draft and when Everyone We’ve Been was published. I spent plenty of that time revising the book (both before and after it sold). It was a great reminder for me that even the most joyful of writing experiences requires hard work and patience. It was a good reminder also that things that require hard work and patience can be joyful!
* The Buzz
“Beautifully written and smart.” –Romantic Times 4-Star Review
“A complex and thought-provoking story.” –Publishers Weekly
“[Everyone We’ve Been] will have readers thinking they understand it, before it yanks the rug from underneath them. (They’ll enjoy the tumble.)… An effective look at the kind of love you dream about and the kind you should never forget. ” –Booklist
“YA romance readers will enjoy this novel, which offers some suspense and a few twists along the way.” – School Library Journal
Website: Sarah Everett
Quoted in Sidelights: makes readers think about the ways our experiences shape our lives - how we are different after certain things, and how we have the power to determine how those experiences change us.
Sunday, October 9, 2016
Sarah Everett, author of EVERYONE WE'VE BEEN, on real life worming its way into your writing
We're thrilled to have Sarah Everett join us to share more about her debut novel EVERYONE WE'VE BEEN.
Sarah, what book or books would most resonate with readers who love your book--or visa versa?
Everyone We’ve Been has been described as 500 Days of Summer meets Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (both films). I think it would appeal to fans of Jenny Han, Sarah Dessen, Sara Zarr, Morgan Matson and Lauren Oliver. Readers who like More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera (who was kind enough to blurb Everyone We’ve Been), Noggin by John Corey Whaley and Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon might also like it!
What did this book teach you about writing or about yourself?
When I finished the first draft of this book, I didn’t see much of myself in it at all. Addie is an amazing viola player (I’m not). She’s gotten involved in some shady memory altering business (I have not….I don’t think. Wait…). Many rounds of edits later, I laugh at my naivety. Even when all the details are different, things I’m thinking about in real life somehow worm their way into my writing. So even though this book is in no way autobiographical and all the characters are completely made up (relax, siblings!), my fingerprints are still all over it. That’s happening in my next book as well, so I’m thinking this just might be a permanent thing. :)
What do you hope readers will take away from EVERYONE WE'VE BEEN?
First of all, I hope readers are entertained and temporarily transported into the lives of the characters. I also hope it makes readers think about the ways our experiences shape our lives - how we are different after certain things, and how we have the power to determine how those experiences change us.
What's your writing ritual like? Do you listen to music? Work at home or at a coffee shop or the library, etc?
My writing rituals seem to change all the time, which I think maybe makes them not rituals? Just random things I sometimes do. I prefer to write in complete silence, but when I’m fully engaged in a scene, I can forget all the noise and conversations around me. I usually write at home on my laptop, but I’ve occasionally written in public. And I’ll sometimes use music to get myself in the right frame of mind for a particular scene. Sometimes when I’m starting to write for the day and am feeling super intimidated by the blank screen, I’ll play some music (any music, though upbeat is better) and just start free-writing, and that usually does the trick. I find that the music drowns out the self-doubt in the most literal way and I’ve used this for writing everything - research papers, important emails, short stories, WIPs. It’s like a warm-up before a workout.
Quoted in Sidelights: a complex and thought-provoking story.
heavy-handed
Everyone We've Been
Publishers Weekly.
263.33 (Aug. 15, 2016): p74.
COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Everyone We've Been
Sarah Everett. Knopf, $17.99 (400p) ISBN 978-0-553-53844-1
On the way home from a concert, high school senior Addie Sullivan meets a guy she connects with. Then their bus crashes, and there's no sign of
him; when he turns up again, only Addie can see him. By this point, readers--who have access to chapters labeled "before"--know that the
mystery "Bus Boy" closely resembles Zach, the guy Addie dated 18 months earlier. What they don't know is why she doesn't recognize this
similarity herself. It's only when Addie seeks help that she realizes her memories of Zach were erased; even more disturbing, there are other
important things she doesn't remember. This could be the setup for a thriller, but the secrets here are familial, not criminal--debut author Everett is
interested in the role memory plays in shaping who we are. Though the idea that the one place with memory-erasing technology is just outside
Addie's small hometown stretches believability, and Everett's examinations of memory, history, and resilience can be heavy-handed, she has
crafted a complex and thought-provoking story. Ages 12--up. Agent: Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary & Media. (Oct.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Everyone We've Been." Publishers Weekly, 15 Aug. 2016, p. 74. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA461444614&it=r&asid=7c0165bd7b1ead717b559388166df15e. Accessed 15 May
2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A461444614
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Spotlight on first novels
Booklist.
113.4 (Oct. 15, 2016): p54.
COPYRIGHT 2016 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
Older Readers
The Baby. By Lisa Drakeford. Oct. 2016.256p. Scholastic/Chicken House, 517.99 (97805459402761; e book, 517.99 (9780545942843). Gr. 9-12.
Olivia's seventeenth birthday party is everything she wanted it to be; her best friends Nicola and Ben dancing around her; her weird younger
sister, Alice, quietly confined to her bedroom; her boyfriend, Jonty, looming lovingly (if somewhat possessively) by her side. But when Olivia
discovers Nicola in the bathroom giving birth to a baby she didn't even know she was having--Jonty's baby--the celebration comes to a crashing
halt. Over the next few months, Olivia, Nicola, Jonty, Alice, and Ben adjust to life with Nicola's baby, Eliza. Olivia struggles to forgive her friend,
while Alice attempts to make a new one; Nicola takes to motherhood with relative ease, leaning on Ben for his support and constant
companionship; and Jonty initially resists his responsibilities as a father. While relevant issues like domestic violence and autism are woven
gracefully across the narratives, the resulting conflicts are too neatly wrapped up. Written in alternating third-person voices, Drakeford's debut
transforms the stark and grim realities of teen pregnancy into much fluffier fare, complete with a surprising, rom-com-worthy eleventh-hour
twist.--Rebecca Kuss
Quoted in Sidelights: pondering the way the way their hearts break and how they remember the ones
they lost
Everyone We've Been. By Sarah Everett. Oct. 2016.400p. Knopf, 517.99 (9780553538441); lib. ed" 520.99 (9780553538458); e-book, 517.99
(9780553538465). Gr. 9-12.
Before: Addison Sullivan is falling in love with Zach. After: Addison is in a bus accident and keeps seeing a mysterious guy from the crash
wherever she goes. Before: Addison's viola music fills the lonely place inside of her, making her feel whole again. After: her parents' divorce has
ruined the family, and home feels underwater. To finally solve all of her problems, Addison heads to the Overton Clinic for a memory treatment.
This delightfully confusing narrative will have readers thinking they understand it, before it yanks the rug from underneath them. (They'll enjoy
the tumble.) Everett gives readers sweet romance and solid friendships and then sprinkles on a pinch of sci-fi: a procedure that can erase painful
memories. The implications of this procedure will leave readers pondering the way the way their hearts break and how they remember the ones
they lost. Everett's story is an effective look at the kind of love you dream about and the kind you should never forget. --Karen Ginman
Flashfall. By Jenny Moyer. Nov. 2016.352p. Holt, 517.99 (9781627794817). Gr. 9-12.
Orion, 16, has a special ability to locate cirian, a valuable element that prevents radiation sickness--and in their postradioactive, flash-curtain
world, cirian is essential. Subpars (mine workers) like Orion and her fellow Outpost Five residents will spend--and likely lose--their lives mining
it. But if they can gather a total of 400 grams, subpars can escape to the protected city of Alara, though no one has ever lived long enough to do
so. Orion and her mining partner, Dram, however, are close to achieving this goal when Orion discovers the corrupt politics behind cirian and
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realizes revolution is what's needed. Moyer has constructed a cinematic page-turner: there's gore, romance, daring rescues, political commentary,
and a strong message of social justice. Multiple small details of the rituals that sustain subpars in their grim life lend verisimilitude to the world
Moyer has created. Although character development takes a backseat to the nonstop action, the empowering element of a teen-led rebellion
creates its own energy and sweeps the reader along. --Debbie Carton
Frostblood. By Elly Blake. Jan. 2017.384p. Little, Brown, 517.99 (9780316273251); e-book, 59.99 (9780316273268). Gr. 9-12.
Seventeen-year-old Ruby Ottera is orphaned after watching her mother be murdered by the people she had been protecting Ruby from all along,
called frostbloods. Ruby is thereby thrust into a life where friend and foe want to use her fire-wielding powers as a weapon--a fireblood in a
kingdom ruled by frost. Driven by a prophecy, rebel frostbloods save Ruby from certain death, hoping that she will help them break the curse on
their kingdom. Ruby is continuously torn between red-hot anger and a spark of fondness for her instructor, Arcus, a frostblood with a tragic past,
as he trains her to fight for her life and his kingdom. Ruby's thirst for revenge is seemingly thwarted when she's captured again and forced to fight
in an arena where a fireblood has never triumphed, while becoming an object of fascination for the king. This enchanting and fast-paced debut
lights up the page with magic, romance, and action, all of which is expertly interwoven throughout the text. Readers will be eagerly anticipating
the next book in the series. --Meghan Oppelt
Girls in the Moon. By Janet McNally. Nov. 2016.352p. HarperTeen, 517.99 (9780062436245). Gr. 9-12.
Meg and Kieran Ferris were young and famous in the heady music scene of the 1990s. But after an "accident" produced their daughter Luna, and
a "mistake" brought a second daughter, Phoebe, Meg abandoned her music career. Luna and Phoebe grew up far away from the limelight, fiercely
protected by their mother. Now 19 years old, Luna has moved to New York City and started a band. Phoebe decides to visit her sister during the
last bit of summer before senior year. She is curious about the untold story of her parents' fame, resorting to information gleaned from an old Spin
magazine. As Luna seems destined to follow in her mother's talented footsteps, Phoebe finds a soul mate who shares her love of song lyrics. This
is mostly Phoebe's story, with flashbacks from Meg's reluctant stardom. McNally's first novel shows an appreciation of poetic phrasing, as well as
plenty of musical references. Recommend this introspective novel to readers who enjoy stories about music and musicians.--Diane Colson
The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett. By Chelsea Sedoti. Jan. 2017.400p. Sourcebooks/Fire, 517.99 (9781492636083). Gr. 9-12.
When Lizzie Lovett goes missing, Hawthorn becomes obsessed--how could something bad happen to beautiful, popular Lizzie, who always
seemed immune to pain? Hawthorn, who's always coveted Lizzie's seemingly easy existence, goes to desperate, nearly crazy lengths to explain
her disappearance, and in the process of her investigation, she befriends Lizzie's 25-year-old boyfriend, Enzo, who indulges her bizarre quest
(more than he should) and makes Hawthorn feel like less of an outsider. But she becomes so caught up in her search that she finds herself even
more alienated, and when the truth finally comes out, Hawthorn is forced to examine her own choices. Sedoti's debut offers an enlightening look
at the dangers of relying on outward appearances to judge someone's character, and Hawthorn's first-person narrative, filled with obsessive
thoughts and, eventually, meaningful reflection, is a lively, engaging vehicle for the story. A rich cast of secondary characters, including
Hawthorn's family and a caravan of hippies camping in her backyard, adds depth. Fans of character-driven novels will appreciate this.--Sarah
Hunter
Kingdom of Ash and Briars. By Hannah West. 2016.368p. Holiday, $17.95 (97808234365141. Gr. 7-10.
Orphaned and raised as a serving girl, 16-year-old Bristal is stunned to learn that she is one of three elicromancers--immortal, magical beings--in
her kingdom. Bristal is quickly found by the other two elicromancers and trained in their ways. One, Tamarice, is hungry for power and soon
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betrays them all, cursing the royal family and casting the kingdom into darkness. Over the course of the next 16 years, it falls to Bristal to stop
Tamarice's machinations. She uses her shape-shifting skills to secretly raise the cursed youngest princess of the kingdom while helping the hidden
oldest princess attend a ball and discover her heritage. At the same time, she disguises herself as a man to join a group of the king's soldiers and
prepares herself for the coming fight. The inclusion of multiple familiar stories--Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Mulan--gives this plenty of heft,
and the scope of Bristal's adventures, the atmospheric magical elements, and the light touch of romance will enchant fairy-tale fans.--Maggie
Reagan
* Last Seen Leaving. By Caleb Roehrig. Oct. 2016.336p. Feiwel and Friends, $17.99 (9781250085634). Gr. 9-12.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
This truly hair-raising, standout mystery thriller from debut author Roehrig will keep readers guessing until the end. When sophomore Flynn
Doherty comes home to find police vehicles parked outside his house, he finds himself facing plenty of questions about his missing girlfriend,
January. The last time Flynn saw January, she was emotional and desperate to be intimate. When Flynn refused, the two parted on unsteady terms
and January all but accused Flynn of being gay, a truth he has been avoiding for years. With the police hesitant to trust Flynn, he takes matters
into his hands and launches his own investigation with January's coworker, friendly and sexy Kaz. More than just fully realized, Roehrig's
characters feel real. And if Flynn's circumstances are a bit sensational, his struggles with identity and relationships certainly aren't. Though this is
not a typical problem novel, Roehrig gives equal deference to the mystery of January's disappearance and Flynn's coming out and subsequent
burgeoning romance with Kaz. Deftly weaving fast-paced mystery with vivid, affecting flashbacks, Roehrig coaxes readers along at just the right
pace and pulls the rug out from under them in the best way possible with a knockout ending.--Caitlin Kling
* A List of Cages. By Robin Roe. Jan. 2017.320p. Hyperion, $17.99 (9781484763803). Gr. 9-12.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Fourteen-year-old Julian is a damaged boy, taciturn and withdrawn, painfully shy and still bereft from the death of his parents when he was a
child. A poor student with illegible handwriting, he is often the subject of teachers' scorn and classmates' teasing. As a result, he regularly skips
classes to hide in a secret room he has found. His home life is even worse: he is the ward of his uncle by marriage, a cold, distant, dangerous man
who often punishes Julian cruelly, whipping him with a switch and lacerating the skin on his torso. Things begin to gradually change when he
encounters Adam, a teenager who had once been Julian's foster brother before the uncle took custody. Adam, who had ADHD as a child, is still a
restless but exuberant, happy presence, beloved by fellow students and teachers alike. When he unofficially adopts Julian, he brings light into the
boy's hitherto dark existence, though danger still lurks. The two boys tell their respective, affecting stories in first-person voices that perfectly
reflect their characters and rive the story's compelling action. Roe's debut may lack subdety, but it makes up for it with memorable characters and
high drama. A page-turner with a lot of compassion. --Michael Cart
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Of Fire and Stars. By Audrey Coulthurst. Nov. 2016.400p. HarperCollins/Balzer+Bray, $17.99 (9780062433251). Gr. 8-11.
Princess Dennaleia has always been destined to marry the prince of nearby Mynaria. She knows that it will mean hiding some parts of herself:
Denna has a magical Affinity for fire, and in Mynaria, magic is feared and forbidden. But she doesn't count on being taught to ride the formidable
Mynarian warhorses by Princess Amaranthine (aka Mare), the barbed, very unprincesslike sister of Denna's betrothed. Mare wants nothing to do
with Denna, preferring to train horses instead of princesses, but when a sudden assassination throws the kingdom into chaos and fingers are
pointed at a rebel group of the magically gifted, the two are thrown together as they search for the truth, and their antipathy turns to friendship
and then something more. High-fantasy novels with TGBT love stories at their center are few and far between, and this is done in a lovely
fashion; Mare and Denna's relationship blossoms naturally against a high-stakes backdrop and a fully realized world. A worthy debut that
succeeds as both an adventure and a romance. --Maggie Reagan
Saving Hamlet. By Molly Booth. Nov. 2016.352p. Hyperion, $17.99 (9781484752746). Gr. 8-11.
Sophomore Emma, recently introduced to theater, is excited to learn more as the drama club's assistant stage manager for a production of Hamlet.
Her theater-maven best friend Lulu is gunning for the role of Hamlet--so what if she's a girl?--and Emma has a serious crush on student director
Brandon. But then Emma suddenly finds herself running the whole show, she and Lulu have a massive fight, and Brandon actually starts to seem
like a piece of work. Worse, the show is a disaster: brevity may be the soul of wit, but Brandon's version is five hours long. Then Emma falls
through a trapdoor into seventeenth-century London, behind the scenes of the original Hamlet. As she travels back and forth in time between the
two productions, she learns more than she ever thought possible about theater and being herself. Emma is an easy-to-root-for heroine whose
struggles will resonate with teens, drama geeks or otherwise, and her forays into Shakespeare's London add insight into gender identity in the
theater. A fun, imaginative debut. --Maggie Reagan
Snow Summer. By Kit Peel. Oct. 2016. 200p. Groundwood, $16.95 (9781554983575). Gr. 6-9.
Orphan Wyn currently lives with a kindly pastor and his family in a small English village, but she's acutely aware of not fitting in. Climate change
has created a winter without end, which means that Wyn needs to hide the fact that she is never cold, as well as try to ignore her untested
telekinetic powers and strange memories of things that should be impossible, like flying. When otherworldly creatures appear, sparking Wyn's
hidden memories, she realizes her true identity and her responsibility to end winter and save the world. Peel blends current realities like climate
change with a mystical natural world, in which nature's forces are strong enough to fight human destruction. Readers' initial confusion over the
various magical creatures should settle fairly quickly, while Peel's richly detailed descriptions of the landscapes and the creatures that rise from
them create a magic of their own. Though clearly British in origin, the concerns are global. It may not be subtle, but Peel's debut has the
satisfyingly predictable appeal of a fairy tale. --Debbie Carton
Timekeeper. By Tara Sim. Nov. 2016. 368p. Skyhorse/Sky Pony, $17.99 (9781510706187). Gr. 9-12.
Danny, a 17-year-old clock mechanic living in an alternate 1875 London, narrowly escapes death when a clock tower in which he's working is
bombed. It takes some time to regain his nerve, and he is distracted by an impossible romance, his mechanic father's entrapment behind an
impenetrable time-wall, and ongoing attacks on clock towers all over the English countryside. First-time author Sim has constructed a mild
combination mystery, LGBTQ romance, and supernatural tale of clock spirits and sabotage that explores how far people might go for those they
love. Its strongest elements are the time-related mythology and the supernatural gay romance; the mystery is inconsistently developed, and its
resolution seems rushed. There is a hint-dropped and quickly gone--that this is the first of more books to do with young Danny and his friends.
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An author's note indicates changes to real historical London of 1875 and addresses technology and inventions, the role of women, and
homosexuality. Try this with A. J. Hartley's Steeplejack (2016) for the unusual occupation angle.--Cindy Welch
Under Rose-Tainted Skies. By Louise Gornall. Jan. 2017.336p. Clarion, $17.99 (9780544736511). Gr. 8-11.
Imagine this: your groceries have been delivered to your home, because you don't go shopping. Inconveniently, they have been left just outside
against the house, where they sit in the sun. If you are Norah, this is a catastrophe, since venturing out of the house alone is terrifying. Luckily,
however, she gets unexpected help from Luke, the new guy next door. Normally, she wouldn't be welcoming, but Luke is interesting. When her
mother ends up in the hospital, leaving her temporarily in charge of battling her demons on her own, Norah and Luke, who has his own issues,
take realistic baby steps toward each other. Debut author Gornall, who based Norah's illness on her own experiences, allows readers open access
to Norah's tormented mind. Describing anxiety, Norah observes, "It's the brassy bitch at school that I don't like, but being her BFF makes me
popular. ... I don't know how to be safe without it." Pair this with John Corey Whaley's Highly Illogical Behavior (2016) for a complementary
story about a teen boy experiencing agoraphobia.--Diane Colson
Middle Readers
The Crystal Ribbon. By Celeste Lim. Jan. 2017. 352p. Scholastic, $17.99 (9780545767033): e-book, $ 17.99 (9780545767057). Gr. 4-7.
Eleven-year-old Li Jing adores her baba, but she doesn't understand why he sacrifices precious crops to the Great Golden Huli Jing, the village's
tutelary fox spirit, or why he doesn't prevent her from being sold to the Guo family as a tongyang xi (nursemaid-wife) for their three-year-old son.
Although Jing attempts to be a dutiful daughter-in-law, the Guos and their bratty daughters treat her as a servant. One evening, a spider jing asks
for help rescuing her egg sac from Jing's sister-in-law's bedroom. As a token of gratitude, the spider weaves a crystal-like ribbon that can be
burned as a call for help. And Jing desperately needs help after the Guos sell her to a chinglou, or courtesan house. Jing is a compassionate
character who shows spirit in resisting unjust treatment. As often happens with child narrators, she seems a bit too articulate for her age. This
minor criticism aside, this is a delightful debut featuring lovely prose and a refreshingly unique setting of China during the Song dynasty.--
Michelle Young
The Friendship Experiment. By Erin Teagan. Nov. 2016. 256p. HMH, $16.99 (9780544636224). Gr. 4-7.
Ever since Maddie's scientist grandfather died, she's been carrying on his traditional approach to problem-solving: there's a standard operating
procedure (SOP) for everything. Maddie writes down her step-by-step solutions in her trusty science notebook, and they're for everything from
"How to Survive a Needle" (she and her sister, Brooke, have a hereditary blood disease that requires plenty of trips to the doctor) to "How to Be
Friendly" (Maddie's best friend switched schools, leaving Maddie alone at lunch). But these days, the SOPs aren't doing their job. Brooke isn't
taking their illness seriously, and Maddie doesn't know how to convince her. Then there's Riley, the new science-obsessed girl who just moved to
town and is trying to be Maddie's friend--if only she weren't so annoying. Practical Maddie has a lot to learn about other people, and her journey
will be an eye-opening one for many. Science-minded readers will cheer to meet their match in Maddie as she conquers her demons and learns
what exactly it means to have--and be--a friend.--Maggie Reagan
* The Infinity Year of Avalon James. By Dana Middleton. Oct. 2016. 224p. Feiwel and Friends, $16.99 (9781250085696). Gr. 4-6.
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[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Now that they're 10 years old, hot-tempered Avalon and even-keeled Atticus believe that, as longtime best friends entering their "Infinity Year,"
each will be granted a special power for a time. Avalon, whose father was incarcerated last year, is hoping for a skill that will help her deal with
Elena, a dagger-tongued bully at school. Fifth grade doesn't start well, but for every negative (enduring a messy, upsetting Halloween prank),
there's a positive (earning a place at the regional spelling bee), and Avalon can always count on Atticus, who helps maintain a delicate emotional
balance. When she inadvertently hurts him and he withdraws, though, Avalon feels wretched and knows that she can't count on magic to put
things right. Revealing her negative traits as well as more admirable qualities, Avalon's first-person narrative is forthright and engaging. Easy for
readers to forget but always a background factor, her thoughts about her father and their relationship resurface to the fore from time to time. This
offers a number of realistically drawn characters, both kids and adults, portrayed as complex people who interact and cope with their troubles in
individual ways. A well-knit first novel with an involving, affecting story.--Carolyn Phelan
Kyle Finds Her Way. By Susie Salem. Oct. 2016. 256p. Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine, $16.99 (9780545852661); e-book, $16.99
(9780545852685). Gr. 5-8.
Navigating middle school on day one is daunting for any incoming sixth-grader, but Kyle Constantini is off to a particularly terrible start. She is
in a different section than her two best friends; gets lost and is almost late for her first class; punches a class bully for nearly stepping on her new
friend Marcy's hearing aids; is assigned by the principal to participate in the school's NAVS (Negotiating Actions and Values for Solutions) team;
and rides Marcy's bus rather than her own. Of course, she gets in trouble with her parents for these faux pas, and as new dilemmas crop up, she
can't seem to explain her way out of them--no matter how honorable or naive her intentions have been. Resolutions are reached, and with each,
Kyle matures. Sixth-grade female angst rings true in this debut novel. Salom has Kyle tell the story and uses fantastic dialogue to let this comingof-age
tale shine. Middle-grade readers will relate to Kyle's missteps and the frequently overwhelming environment of middle school.--J. B. Petty
Like Magic. By Elaine Vickers. Oct. 2016. 272p. Harper, $16.99 (9780062414311). Gr. 3-5.
Right from the start of this endearing debut, readers will feel the heartache and the exhilaration of what it means to be 10. Shy poet Grace is
dreading starting fifth grade without her best friend. Outspoken painter Jada, meanwhile, uprooted from New York City, is trying her best to make
a new home in Utah with her dad, while secretly searching for the mother who abandoned her. And sensitive musician Malia anxiously awaits the
arrival of her new sister, worried that the baby will take her place in her mother's heart. When the girls discover a treasure box at the local library
and anonymously begin to share treasures of their own, they also begin to find comfort and friendship. Told in alternating chapters, Vickers gives
each girl a unique and engaging voice, allowing each character's artistic passions to play a key role in overcoming her personal struggles. The Salt
Lake City setting and gracefully embedded ethnic differences add freshness to a story with a message that will stand the test of time: friendship is
like magic. --Rebecca Kuss
Midnight without a Moon. By Linda Williams Jackson. Jan. 2017.320p. HMH, $16.99 (9780544785106). Gr. 5-8.
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It's 1955 in Mississippi, and 13-year-old Rose has a dream: to leave the cotton fields, follow her mama to Chicago, go to an integrated school, and
then head to college to become a teacher or doctor--thereby having the means to take care of her family. But then her harridan of a grandmother
decrees that Rose won't be going back to school, even though she's only finished seventh grade. So much, it would seem, for her dream.
Meanwhile, the larger world intrudes when a young neighbor is murdered for registering to vote and then a 14-year-old boy visiting from
Chicago, named Emmett Till, is also murdered. Will the deaths be meaningless or will they presage change, both for Mississippi and for Rose?
Jackson's debut does an excellent job dramatizing the injustice that was epidemic in the pre-civil rights South and capturing the sounds and
sensibilities of that time and place. Her sympathetic characters and their stories will make this thoughtful book especially good for classroom use.
--Michael Cart
Rebel Genius. By Michael Dante DiMartino. Oct. 2016.384p. illus. Roaring Brook, $16.99 (9781626723368). Gr. 5-8.
Giacomo is a 12-year-old orphan who lives in the sewers of Renaissance-inspired Virenzia. His prized possession is a sketchbook, though
drawing is risky as the Supreme Creator, or dictator, has outlawed art. When his personal Genius--a birdlike creature that enhances artistic
abilities--finds him, he is dangerously marked as an artist. Shortly thereafter, a trio of other artistic children find him and take him to a safe house
where they are allowed to flourish. There they are taught sacred geometry and how to use their creative energies as weapons. When an evil artist
begins hunting for the three Sacred Tools of the Creator, with the intent of destroying the empire, Giacomo is called upon to lead his new
compatriots on a quest to stop him. This debut novel, by the cocreator of the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender, is the first in a planned
fantasy series. While some of the combined magic and geometry falls flat, there is action and adventure galore, including narrow escapes,
surprising twists, and stunning turns.--Jeanne Fredriksen
Ryan Quinn and the Rebel's Escape. By Ron McGee. Oct. 2016.368p. Harper, $16.99 (9780062421647). Gr. 5-8.
Ryan Quinn's life in New York is interrupted when his father is reported missing and his mother is kidnapped. Left with one message--his father
must deliver Myat Kaw or else his mother dies--Ryan is left to trust Tasha, an associate of his parents, and his friends Danny and Kasey to rescue
them. Turns out Ryan's parents have been working for an emergency rescue organization, and they have secretly been training Ryan his whole
life. McGee s debut has many hallmarks of the middle-grade espionage thriller genre--a fake international location, a young boy who suddenly
can do extraordinary things, the friend who can hack into anything, and so on--and it is a solid volume for readers looking for a fast-paced,
nonstop adventure of derring-do. Ryan is a likable character, Danny is hilarious, Kasey is more than the dumb blonde everyone assumes she is,
and his bully turns out to be a pretty decent guy with a soft spot. While many loose ends are neatly tied up, this bound-to-be-popular volume
leaves plenty of room for a sequel.--Lindsey Tomsu
The Secrets of Hexbridge Castle. By Gabrielle Kent. Oct. 2016.336p. Scholastic, $16.99 (9780545869294); e-book, $16.99 (9780545881807).
Gr. 4-7.
Alfie Bloom is more than a little puzzled to learn that he's inherited a castle. For one thing, he's never heard of Orin Hopcraft, the druid who left
him Hexbridge Casde. The biggest surprise, however, is the castle itself, full of hidden rooms and other wondrous magic. Alfie and his twin
cousins have great fun exploring, but danger comes with a two-headed dragon terrorizing the village and a pair of horrendous headmistresses at
Alfie's new school. Kent's debut has undeniable shades of that other magical boy who finds himself unexpectedly in a magical castle--Alfie
receives letters by raven, he's helped by an enigmatic man in a high tower, he's the sole bearer of powerful magic, and so on--but Kent carries it
off well, neatly interweaving backstory, hints about Hopcraft's tasks for Alfie, comical interludes, and plot threads about friendship and family
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that help keep the narrative firmly grounded in reality. This well-paced, engaging fantasy is tailor-made for Harry Potter fans, who will be pleased
to learn there are more adventures in the works for Alfie. --Sarah Hunter
Snakes and Stones. By Lisa Fowler. Nov. 2016. 240p. Skyhorse/Sky Pony, $15.99 (9781510710313). Gr. 3-6.
It's 1921, and Chestnut Hill has been traveling with her father and her younger triplet siblings--Hazel, Mac, and Filbert--since the day he took
them away from their mother. Together, the siblings help sell their father's snake oil elixir, but Chestnut is tired of having to lie to people every
day about its powers. While traveling, Chestnut leaves handmade signs behind showing their next destination, in the hope that her mother will
track them down. When she finally can't take it anymore, Chestnut steals money to buy a ticket home, which leads to a series of troubles that
result in a reunion with her mother. But when she witnesses an argument between her parents, she learns a heartbreaking truth about them. Fowler
includes some period-appropriate instances of racism, including some targeting the Hills' friend, Abraham, although the Hills are not depicted as
racist themselves. Chestnut's first-person narrative, in an old-fashioned, rural dialect, might be a struggle for some, but the fast pace and intriguing
secrets in this debut will keep the pages turning. --Selenia Paz
A Tail of Camelot. By Julie Leung. Illus. by Lindsey Carr. Oct. 2016.304p. Harper, $16.99 (9780062403995). Gr. 3-6.
Like most mice in Camelot, young Calib Christopher dreams of becoming a knight, but when his name is mysteriously entered into the annual
Harvest Tournament (to determine his eligibility), his nerves threaten to get the best of him. Shortly afterward, an assassination interrupts the
competition, and the creatures grow convinced that the forest-dwelling Darklings are to blame. Calib is sure they are wrong and taps into
unknown stores of courage to unite the animals and face the true, and much more dangerous, enemy. Leungs debut is a charming blend of
Arthurian legend and Brian Jacques' Redwall series. A subplot involving Galahad's arrival as a boy in Camelot parallels Calib's struggles--and
eventual heroics--while integrating key characters from the legend. Exciting battles join suspenseful animal alliances, such as Calib's diplomatic
excursion to the owls, all while Calib tests the limits of his bravery and learns what being a knight truly entails. With likable characters and a
classic spirit of adventure, this is a satisfying story of small heroes accomplishing great things.--Julia Smith
YA RECOMMENDATIONS
* Young adult recommendations for adult, audio, and reference titles reviewed in this issue have been contributed by the Booklist staff and by
reviewers Poornima Apte, Michael Cart, Laura Chanoux, Joan Curbow, Kristine Huntley, Eloise Kinney, and Mary Ellen Quinn.
* Adult titles recommended for teens are marked with the following symbols: YA, for books of general YA interest; YA/C, for books with
particular curriculum value; YA/S, for books that will appeal most to teens with a special interest in a specific subject; and YA/M, for books best
suited to mature teens.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Spotlight on first novels." Booklist, 15 Oct. 2016, p. 54+. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA468771357&it=r&asid=6d1a49cf438d2ee50bf7813d173d386c. Accessed 15 May
2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A468771357
Quoted in Sidelights: unnecessarily drawn out
The realistic message about the human heart’s resiliency doesn’t always fully merge with the science-fiction elements.
Addie’s investigation into the source of her hallucinations of a teenage boy is interspersed with flashbacks of her first romance.
Biracial (black/white) Addie’s conversations with a handsome, redheaded, white stranger elicit strange stares, something she’s been accustomed to all her life. When readers see how her best friend, Katy, reacts to stories about him, they will quickly realize that Addie is hallucinating. Eventually Addie also realizes she’s delusional, but she believes that her hallucination has an identity in the real world. She begins researching, convinced that discovering his identity will stop the delusions. However, the investigation’s dramatic tension is somewhat diminished since the interwoven flashbacks have already revealed that the hallucination and Addie’s first boyfriend, Zach, share many physical traits. This makes it easy for readers to conclude they are one and the same, and since Katy obviously knows the truth, Addie’s refusal to simply allow her to share her knowledge also makes the investigation seem unnecessarily drawn out. Readers spend much of the novel waiting for Addie to catch up, though the science-fiction brain surgery that explains both the hallucinations and a secondary plot involving Addie’s emotionally distant family dynamic will be surprising (unless readers have read the back cover blurb, which unfortunately contains many spoilers).
The realistic message about the human heart’s resiliency doesn’t always fully merge with the science-fiction elements. (Science fiction/romance. 12-18)
UGH! I have so many feelings for this book! It’s so good and I’m really wondering why people aren’t talking about it that much. But hey, here I am hosting a blog tour for the book since I really want others to read about this book. Also have you seen the cover? I know you have, but scroll up and take a second look. Beautiful yeah? Also a POC on the cover!!!
It started a little slow but it’s definitely interesting and I love the character’s voice. The pacing is the only issue I have and it’s a little sad I can’t say much because I might spoil it for you, but this book is heartbreaking but I love it. The emotions were raw and its portrayal is definitely amazing.
I love how characters, even they weren’t all given complexities, were shown with depth and are multidimensional. It’s so refreshing to be able to read this book because of the little distress I had with the last one I’ve read. I also love the way how the story was narrated in two timelines, before and after Addie’s accident.
The lines blur from reality when Overton Clinic got involved since they had this way of erasing memory, and it’s really interesting to have this concept be involved in a contemporary. It’s really thought-provoking as well, because reading this will get you thinking what to do if you’re in Addie’s shoes.
I really enjoyed the ending of the story. It’s very realistic and again, heartbreaking, but it’s really satisfying. I wouldn’t end it other way.
This is a debut novel from Sarah Everett, and honestly with the way she writes, I’m gonna have to be on the lookout for her upcoming books. You should too!
reviewer: Karen Coats
Quoted in Sidelights: patient readers, especially those who have had their own hearts broken, will have lots to think about when considering the wisdom of Addie’s decisions.
Addie is immediately drawn to the cute guy on the bus, but she doesn’t get his name, and when the bus has an accident that lands the passengers in the hospital, he is not among them. After a few more encounters it becomes evident that she is the only one who sees him, and her family and friends worry that she may have some brain damage from the crash. Flashback to eighteen months ago: Addison meets Zach, who offers a pleasant diversion when he asks her to star in one of his homemade “horrody” films. Though he warns her that he is still in love with his former girlfriend, she can’t help falling for him, and he seems just as unable to resist her. Flash forward again: When Addie goes to a clinic that advertises neurological procedures, a slip-up by a receptionist leads her to realize that she has been to this clinic before and that the help they offer is to erase memories. Through chapters that alternate between the present and the recent past, readers follow Addie and Zach’s romance as it develops and then crashes and burns, but meanwhile they learn that Addie has had her memories erased not once but twice in the aftermath of situations that brought her to the brink of serious depression. The effect is that of a twofer, plotwise: a pretty standard romance is overlaid with moral and existential questions about the ethics of dealing with trauma and the way emotional difficulties shape our personalities. While the dual plots are interesting, the unfolding of the romance is slow and protracted, and other relationships are disappointingly underwritten. Nevertheless, patient readers, especially those who have had their own hearts broken, will have lots to think about when considering the wisdom of Addie’s decisions.
Quoted in Sidelights: I really enjoyed that the novel explored identity ... and the question of whether past events (remembered or forgotten) have an effect on who we are and who we will become.
EVERYONE WE’VE BEEN REVIEW: PLEASE ERASE THE SOUND OF MY HEART BREAKING FROM MY MEMORY
OCTOBER 26, 2016 BY JENNA | 4 STARS, BOOKS, REVIEWS
Everyone We’ve Been Review: Please Erase the Sound of my Heart Breaking from my MemoryEveryone We've Been by Sarah Everett
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers on October 4th 2016
Source: Purchased
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Amazon | Book Depository | Publisher | Angus & Robertson | Booktopia
ADD TO GOODREADS
For fans of Jandy Nelson and Jenny Han comes a new novel that asks, can you possibly know the person you’re becoming if you don’t know the person you’ve been?
Addison Sullivan has been in an accident. In its aftermath, she has memory lapses and starts talking to a boy that no one else can see. It gets so bad that she’s worried she’s going crazy.
Addie takes drastic measures to fill in the blanks and visits a shadowy medical facility that promises to “help with your memory.” But at the clinic, Addie unwittingly discovers it is not her first visit. And when she presses, she finds out that she had certain memories erased. She had a boy erased.
But why? Who was that boy, and what happened that was too devastating to live with? And even if she gets the answers she’s looking for, will she ever be able to feel like a whole person again?
I was completely unprepared for how much I loved Everyone We’ve Been. It was a preorder that I made months in advance, which meant that I’d forgotten what it was about by the time it got to my doorstep. Upon reading the synopsis, I wasn’t sure how much I’d like it because it sounded quite similar to Adam Silvera’s More Happy Than Not. But it turned out to be quite different and I really, really enjoyed it.
This book is written from the perspective of Addie and the novel starts with her getting into an accident. Soon after, she starts seeing this mysterious boy around but what’s most troubling is that nobody else can see him. As Addie tries to figure out who and what he is, she discovers that she’s had someone important erased from her memory at the Overton Institute, which specialises in memory erasure. Together with Addie, we find out the story of her past and why she had this particular person erased. What I loved most about this book was the dual timelines. This novel is written in mostly alternating chapters of before and after. In the before timeline, which takes place a year before the accident, we follow Addie as she falls in love with Zach, the boy whose family owns the local movie store. We get to see them fall in love and I thought it was an extremely sweet story about first love (at least for Addie). In the after timeline, we follow Addie as she tries to figure out what happened to her and as she comes to terms with the fact that there are significant events in her life and significant parts of her identity that are missing from her memory. I really enjoyed that the novel explored identity this way and the question of whether past events (remembered or forgotten) have an effect on who we are and who we will become. I thought these dual timelines worked very well together and led to a very nice reveal at the end of the novel about what really happened to lead to Addie choosing to erase certain memories.
What I didn’t enjoy so much about the plot was how similar some of the elements were to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. There were a few too many similarities for my liking and at times, it was a little hard to get over them. But I was still able to look past these similarities and enjoy the plot. I highly enjoyed the family elements and the friendship elements in the book. They really stood out to me and made the novel a lot more deep and emotional. The balance between family, friendship and romance was really good and it made the story for me. There were also some plot twists that I did not see coming at all and I thought they were extremely effective at keeping me immersed in the story.
I was a big fan of the romance in this book, which set me up for a lot of heartbreak. I knew from the synopsis that Addie had erased a boy from her memory so I had kind of prepared myself for the worse, but the reveal at the end still tore me up. For those of you who are terrified right now, I should reassure you that the ending/development of their relationship isn’t even that sad… I just connected with the pair of them so much that it hurt me immensely when I found out what had happened. I’m being super vague here but I really don’t want to spoil! The ending of the novel was very realistic and I thought it was a fantastic end to the story because it left me thinking about it for days and days.
epilogue
Everyone We’ve Been was a great exploration of identity and I loved that it was explored through dual timelines. It had a wonderful love story that my heart connected with and refused to let go of. I highly enjoyed the plot, even though I did find it to be a bit too similar to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in some places.
Quoted in Sidelights: Sarah Everett’s writing is exquisite and beautiful.
Everyone We’ve Been is a stellar young adult contemporary that deserves much love.
Review:
Some days, it’s hard to find a book that is exactly what you’re looking to read at the moment. When I picked up Sarah Everett’s debut novel earlier this week, I knew it was the kind of read I was seeking. I instantly clicked with the prose and finished the book in one sitting.
Even though it wasn’t the first time I’ve read a book about memory wipes and the plot wasn’t all that hard to predict, there were several things I found very refreshing in Everyone We’ve Been:
Alternate Story Structure
I love books that play with story structure. With this one, it didn’t feel like the author was just trying something different, I think the story really called for a before/after parallel narratives. They just worked so well with the grand scheme of the book and I really loved the polarity of each account.
Lovely, Emotional Writing
Sarah Everett’s writing is exquisite and beautiful. The fact that this is only her first book makes me so excited to read more from her. I was just so impressed! Her words really pulled at my heartstrings and made me fall in love with her main character, Addie. Though I’d never experienced the things Addie had, her thoughts and emotions were so easy to connect with because her point of view had so much depth.
Resonating Love for Music
The main reason I really loved Addie though was because of something special we shared: music. As someone who previously played the violin, I was so fond of reading about Addie’s passion for playing the viola. I love that Air on the G String even plays a role in the book and I actually listened to it while reading Everyone We’ve Been. I guess a part of why I thought the writing was so beautiful was because the description of music and what it can make you feel was so heartfelt.
Complexities of a Divorce Family
Addie’s family is far from perfect. After her parent’s divorce, things were never quite the same. For Addie, it felt like her family was torn in half. The portrayal of the family dynamics in Everyone We’ve Been made me so sad, but in a good way, because they were so realistic. I loved that each member of the family was three dimensional and that there was a well-defined reason for everyone’s actions.
Coping & Moving Forward
One of the biggest themes in the book is that heartbreak, no matter how immense it is, is survivable. That pain is something we can move forward from. I think it’s such an important message to readers and I love how it was placed in the book. Losing someone is hard and heartbreaking but we shouldn’t forget that who we lost was once a part of us, and in remembering them only do we remember who we are.
In conclusion, Everyone We’ve Been is a stellar young adult contemporary that deserves much love. If you like emotional reads with great themes or characters who love music, this one is for you.