Coping with the death of a friend or family member is not easy for people of any age. Reading about how main characters in novels deal with death in their lives may inform readers about coping mechanisms and support systems that enable young adults to move on from the devastating experience. This month I will recommend three new YA novels about teens dealing with grief. In A Pretty Implausible Premise by Karen Rivers (You are the Everything) two teen athletes find comfort in each other after experiencing tragedies that derail their Olympic dreams. Someone You Loved by Robin Constantine (The Season of You and Me) finds Sarah and Jakes navigating the death of her boyfriend/his best friend Alex, who died in a horrific fall off a cliff. They feel guilty about finding solace in each other through their shared grief. I Loved You in Another Life by David Arnold (The Electric Kingdom) is a speculative love story where two teens are brought together across their present, past and future lives by shared music only they can hear.
A Pretty Implausible Premise introduces Hattie and Presley, two teen athletes whose Olympic dreams are dashed by tragedy. Hattie, whose mother took off when she was six, hopes they will be reunited when Hattie swims in the Olympics. But when 7-year-old Elijah dies while Hattie is lifeguarding, she begins experiencing panic attacks whenever she tries to swim. Presley, an ice-skating phenom, loses his twin brother in a car accident that leaves him with injuries that end his competitive career. When Presley transfers to Hattie's high school, he immediately recognizes her "haunted shimmer." Their relationship quickly progresses in ways that are uncannily similar to the romance novel that has been Hattie's lifeline since Elijah's death. When wildfires threaten their town, an evacuation and impromptu road trip gives them an opportunity to bond over shared losses and feelings of guilt. Through encouragement from Presley's therapist and Hattie's coach, as well as the novel that is an integral part of Hattie's recovery, their healing journey ultimately leads to love and hope for the future.
When Alex dies in a 130 foot fall off a cliff in Someone You Loved, he leaves behind a grieving girlfriend Sarah, his sister Ashley, and his best friend Jake, who witnessed the accident. Sarah and Ashley are best friends. Two months before his death, Alex and Sarah's relationship evolves from friendship into a romance. Following the accident, Sarah is not only dealing with her own grief, but Ashley's as well. After running into each other at a cafe, Sarah and Jake begin nightly phone calls that soon become more than sharing their mutual grief. Jake, who constantly hears Alex's voice in his head, is wracked with survivor's guilt and the feeling that he is taking over Alex's former life. The only happiness he feels is when he talks to Sarah, which his therapist encourages. As they grow closer, they worry about what Alex would think and how Ashley will handle their relationship. Although they try to get involved with other people, finding solace in each other is something they desperately need.
In I Loved You in Another Life two teens experience tragedies that hinder their plans for the future. Shosh Bell, an aspiring actress, loses all ambition and turns to alcohol when her beloved sister is killed. Evan Taft has dreamed of a wilderness program in Alaska for his gap year when his father leaves and his mother is diagnosed with breast cancer. He feels responsible for the well-being of her and his neurodivergent 7-year-old brother. They both begin hearing a song in their head that ultimately leads them to each other. When they finally meet, they feel like they've met before, and indeed they have. Their alternating points of view are interspersed with stories from their different lifetimes together - Paris 1832, Tokyo 1953, Oslo 2109. When they hear a performer, Neon Imposter, singing the songs they thought only they could hear, they realize the connection is larger than themselves. Together these troubled characters find healing in each other. The author writes and records songs as Neon Imposter, including ones from this book that can be found online.
