by Nina LaCour
First published 2019
Marin sits alone in her empty New York dorm during winter break. She left California months ago with only her phone, wallet, and a photo of her mother. She hasn't contacted anyone from her old life since that day. Not her best friend Mabel. Not anyone who knew her before. No one knows what really happened in those final weeks at home. Now Mabel is coming to visit. Marin waits, knowing she must face the conversations she has avoided and the secrets she has kept. Thousands of miles separate her from the California coast, but the pull of tragedy and loss follows her everywhere. The loneliness has settled deep in her heart. When Mabel arrives, Marin can no longer run from the truth. She must confront what drove her away and find a way to bridge the distance she created. This story follows a young woman learning that connection requires vulnerability, even when grief makes speaking feel impossible.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, young-adult, contemporary-romance, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: grief, loss, secrets, vulnerability
Setting: California, New York
Period: Winter
256 pages · Paperback · Dutton Books for Young Readers
Content warnings: depression, mental-illness