1.11.2012

Staff Pick: How to Save a Life


Summary (from Amazon):
Jill MacSweeney just wishes everything could go back to normal. But ever since her dad died, she's been isolating herself from her boyfriend, her best friends--everyone who wants to support her. And when her mom decides to adopt a baby, it feels like she's somehow trying to replace a lost family member with a new one.
Mandy Kalinowski understands what it's like to grow up unwanted--to be raised by a mother who never intended to have a child. So when Mandy becomes pregnant, one thing she's sure of is that she wants a better life for her baby. It's harder to be sure of herself. Will she ever find someone to care for her, too?
As their worlds change around them, Jill and Mandy must learn to both let go and hold on, and that nothing is as easy--or as difficult--as it seems.

I picked this book out after a fellow librarian hyped it up as her pick for the best book of 2011, and I definitely understand why she did. How to Save a Life is a stirring read that is heart-wrenching at times but ultimately hopeful.

Read this book if: you’re in the mood for something introspective that might make you cry, depending on your state of mind that day. You heart will ache for the suffering and anguish that Jill (who recently lost her father) and Mandy (who's been abandoned all her life) are going through.

Skip it if: you’re looking for a light-hearted love story. Though there are some swoon-worthy romantic moments, this book is really about grief, relationships, and family.

Reviewed by: Melissa

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