![]() ![]() His mother has become this helicopter parent who feels the need to do everything for him and expend all of her energy on keeping him as safe as humanly possible, and when you compare her to Jess’ absent family, it depicts this juxtaposition that is actually devastating. On the other side of the coin, there’s Lucas, whose loving parents take care of him, keeping him in therapy and even encouraging his newfound love of boxing to work through his stress and grief. Now, though… it’s like I’m always standing in the shadow of his ghost.” “I was always in his shadow, but it wasn’t bad. We watch Jess function as this pragmatist who’s doing everything on her own, doesn’t know how to accept help from anyone, and honestly, it’s a wonder the poor girl can even stay afloat. Her mother suffers from such extreme grief and depression that it’s a fight to convince her to even eat or get out of bed, and Jess finds herself being forced to keep the household going while attending school. What we really see a difference in is how each teen’s families have reacted: for Jess, her father had exited her life before her brother’s death, and now it’s just her and her mother. I miss my mother as much as I miss Ethan, if not more. Their similarities basically stop there, though besides their grief, their reactions and the ways their lives have changed since that terrible night couldn’t be more different. That Night picks up a year after a shooting in Queens, where we follow two protagonists-Jess and Lucas, both teens who each lost a big brother in the tragic event. I have to wonder if other people find some measure of comfort in being around survivors of a shared tragedy. Amy Giles is flawless when it comes to these gut-punch, heart-wrenching contemporaries that I can’t help but carry with me long after they end. Given how Amy’s last release Now is Everything destroyed my entire life for days after I finished it, I had high hopes for this story, and wow, did it deliver. ![]() You might have noticed I have a very specific “type” when it comes to YA contemporary: if it isn’t tragic, I probably won’t like it, but if it can yank at my heart strings and make me cry (and maybe rage) a few times? Well, that’s my idea of a good time. Hadley’s story will no doubt reach readers who need it.” -Kara Thomas, author of The Darkest Corners and Little Monsters “Now Is Everything is equal parts heartbreaking, unflinching, and hopeful. This book is a must read and Hadley’s story is way too important to not be shared I cannot sing enough praise for Amy Giles and her gorgeous debut.” -Erin L. “An incredibly powerful and moving debut that is not to be missed, Now Is Everything tackles the tragic reality and heartbreak of familial abuse that will haunt you long after you’ve turned the last page. You won’t be able to put this novel down.” -Peter Brown Hoffmeister, author of Too Shattered For Mending This beautiful and sad book will push you toward an unexpected conclusion. ![]() “Hadley is living the hidden, complex life that so many young people know - a teenager trapped inside her dysfunctional family. ![]() “Powerful and haunting, Now Is Everything explores the complexities of family and abuse, as we follow one girl on her courageous journey to choose love over hate and hope over fear.” -Amber Smith, New York Times bestselling author of The Way I Used to Be She lives on an Island that is Long with her husband, two daughters, and rescue dog. Her sophomore novel, That Night, was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard award. Her debut novel, Now Is Everything, was the 2018 winner of the prestigious Buxtehude Bulle award (Jetzt ist alles, was wir haben), a Bank Street Best Children's Book of 2017, and a Georgia Peach Book Award Nominee. ![]()
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