Claire Dederer discusses thoughts and yes, feelings, I’ve grappled with. –Torrin Nelson, Queen Anne Book Company, Seattle, WA Between clever analysis and examination, there are beautiful moments of memoir and glimpses of life in the Pacific Northwest. I especially loved the exploration of what it means to be a fan and caught up in parasocial relationships. Claire Dederer aptly asks questions and ruminates on separating the art from the artist (or monster) from many different angles. Ages 14 up.Once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down. Themes of betrayal, forgiveness, and resilience resonate strongly, while the characters' stories are so beautifully told and their struggles so hauntingly familiar that they will stay with readers long after they have finished the book.

Scelsa alternates among the perspectives of these three characters seamlessly, allowing readers to feel their raw emotions and deep emotional needs. But Sebby's demons, Mira's self-doubts, and Jeremy's insecurities begin to seem too much for the trio to bear, and their world of shared laughter and easy camaraderie starts to crumble. Mira, who is struggling to tame debilitating depression, makes Jeremy feel a profound sense of belonging, while his attraction to Sebby, an openly gay foster kid, ignites a passion he's never known. When Jeremy, a shy artist who has kept to himself after a humiliating incident at school left him scarred and vulnerable, meets Mira and Sebby, two sophomores with troubled pasts, the three form a strong bond.

Scelsa debuts with an evocative novel about finding friendship, love, and oneself, as well as the pain that often accompanies the journey. Even as life in his foster home starts to take its toll, Sebby and Mira together craft a world of magic rituals and impromptu road trips, designed to fix the broken parts of their lives.Īs Jeremy finds himself drawn into Sebby and Mira’s world, he begins to understand the secrets that they hide in order to protect themselves, to keep each other safe from those who don’t understand their quest to live for the impossible. Sebby, Mira’s gay best friend, is a boy who seems to carry sunlight around with him. When he sees Sebby for the first time across the school lawn it’s as if he’s been expecting this blond, lanky boy with a mischief glinting in his eye. Jeremy is the painfully shy art nerd at Saint Francis who’s been in self-imposed isolation after an incident that ruined his last year of school. She promised her parents she would at least try to pretend that she could act like a functioning human this time, not a girl who can’t get out of bed for days on end, who only feels awake when she’s with Sebby. Mira is starting over at Saint Francis Prep.

A captivating and profound debut novel about complicated love and the friendships that have the power to transform you forever, perfect for fans of Nina LaCour and of The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

Fans of the impossible life