April 15, 2024
Ella Graham begins her senior year at North Davis High in a waking nightmare. She's trying to get by without best friend Hayley Miller, who died in a car accident last spring. Ella is besieged by not only grief but also guilt--she was the one driving drunk when their car hit a boulder above a rushing river, though she remembers nothing. Placed in a support group run by school psychologist Mr. Wilkens, Ella must confront fellow attendee Sawyer Hawkins--Hayley's boyfriend, whom she's sure blames her--as well as her growing feelings for him. As their relationship blooms, Ella's guilt intensifies. When she helps Hayley's mother with the painful task of cleaning out her late daughter's bedroom, Ella discovers Hayley's diary, and from its contents, she learns much more about her friend than she ever imagined. Harlow's debut is full of angst, and readers will be enticed to tear through the novel, which contains surprising twists and quickens in pace toward the end. Ella's grief and survivor's guilt are palpable, permeating every page. Ella and Sawyer's relationship is both fraught and steamy, and romance fans will enjoy the intrigue of their unfolding relationship; their alternating points of view provide glimpses into both their psyches. Ella's mom is Filipina (her dad's ethnicity is not mentioned); most other major characters read white. A dark and romantic thriller for those who love sexy suspense. (resources) (Thriller. 14-18)
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May 1, 2024
Gr 10 Up-In her debut, Harlow explores friendships and dark secrets. Ella blames herself for the death of her best friend, Hayley. She was the one driving when Hayley was thrown out of the windshield in a car crash. The only problem is, Ella can't remember anything about the accident. It's been months since the crash, and now Ella must return to school for her senior year. There she finds herself attracted to Hayley's boyfriend, Sawyer, but her guilt from the accident makes her hesitate to get involved. How can she cheat on her best friend, even though she is dead? As Ella becomes closer to Sawyer, she seeks to find out more about the night her best friend died. With the help of Hayley's diary, she discovers there was much more going on than she ever realized. Could Sawyer have been physically abusing her best friend? Or was someone else involved? She seeks help from her school counselor but soon realizes she might be in danger. The author delivers a psychological thriller that leaves her audience guessing until the last page. VERDICT A dark romantic thriller with a surprise plot twist, this is a welcome addition to collections for mature teens, due to sexually explicit scenes.-Nancy Hawkins
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May 15, 2024
Grades 9-12 Losing your best friend is hard, especially if you think you're the reason why. Ella Graham lost her best friend in a car accident when she drove them home after drinking at a party. She can't remember the details of that night, but her family, friends, and school do. Since she was driving drunk, Ella is seen by many as a murderer, even though the death was ruled accidental. Dealing with this immense amount of grief and guilt, Ella is pulled into a support group with the school's psychologist, and it's there that Ella becomes romantically closer to Sawyer, her dead best friend's boyfriend. But things are not what they seem, especially with Sawyer and her friends. As Ella begins to unravel the mystery of that fateful night, she comes closer and closer to the unsettling truth about who killed her best friend and why. In a debut blending a thrilling mystery with a hint of dark romance, Harlow thoughtfully depicts complex emotions such as grief, depression, love, guilt, and more without losing sight of the twisty plot.
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