Perma-Bound Edition ©2017 | -- |
Publisher's Hardcover ©2016 | -- |
Paperback ©2017 | -- |
Love. Fiction.
Family problems. Fiction.
Depression, Mental. Fiction.
Mental illness. Fiction.
Gr 8 Up-Filled with raw, descriptive truths and told through the alternating voices of the protagonists, this story takes place in the idyllic, picturesque setting of Verona Cove, CA. Small enough for everyone to know one another yet large enough to handle a summer tourist season, this background locale is a perfect nesting spot for the poignant love story between Vivi Alexander and Jonah Daniels. The collision between the teens crests and ebbs in what seems like a far too small window of time. Instead, the story dares to allow the action to rise and fall in an organic way. Teeming with in-your-face realism, the work exposes readers to the emotional ups and downs of Vivi, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and Jonah, who is trying to hold himself, his siblings, and the family restaurant together as his mother falls apart after the death of her husband. Vivi's struggles with taking medication, and her honest discussions of her brain's chemical issues are evenly balanced with her portrayal as an artist who wants to leave her mark on the world. Jonah's quiet strength as he steps into the role his father's death left vacant and his willingness to share a piece of himself with Vivi make this a powerful book for reader engagement. The ending will have readers hoping for a sequel, though one is not needed. VERDICT An absolute tearjerker romance with a powerful message about weightier topics of grief and mental illness. Sabrina Carnesi, Crittenden Middle School, Newport News, VA
ALA BooklistA transplant to the sleepy beach town of Verona Cove, California, Vivi would stand out anywhere with her Marilyn Monroe hair and effervescent personality. When she meets Jonah, still grieving his father's death six months ago and holding his family cluding five siblings and a mom that can't get out of bed gether, Vivi infuses his life with joy, love, and adventure. But there's a dark side to Vivi's intensity, and when her bipolar disorder rears its ugly head, she is forced to face the truth about herself. Can she stay in idyllic Verona Cove or must she return to the mess her disease left behind at home? Through dual narrators, Lord sucks readers into the fully realized world of two teenagers and their messy, honest families. As much about the fragility of the human experience as it is about mental illness, this offers a refreshing perspective on a spectrum of mental health disorders. This love story veers away from tragedy, instead firmly entrenching itself in hope and possibility.
Voice of Youth AdvocatesSince his dad died six months ago, Jonah's life has been a blur. With school, working in his family's restaurant, and helping his older siblings care for the three "littles" while their grieving mother shuts herself in her room, Jonah is exhausted and overwhelmed. Into this grim fog Vivi, a new summer resident in their small beach town, blows like a whirlwind. Creative, impulsive, vibrantly alive, Vivi soon has half the townJonah's family includedin her pocket. "Vivi lives in overdrive," Jonah thinks. But Vivi's zest for life hides a dark secret: she is off her medication for bi-polar disorder. She assures her mother she is taking her pillshe is taking it directly to the ocean bluffs, where she flips it into the water. When her impulsivity slides into dangerous risk-taking, Jonah realizes that there are some problems even love cannot cure. Sometimes, help is necessary.Mental illness is a favorite topic in young adult fiction lately. This well-done example offers insight along with a good story and fully-realized characters. Vivi's first-person chapters, alternating with Jonah's, give an inside picture of how it feels as her mind revs up toward a manic episode. The problems that can result from concealing such a diagnosis are well depicted. A somewhat didactic ending will not spoil readers' involvement in Jonah and Vivi's relationship. An afterword offers information and sources to contact for help. There are sex and some salty vocabulary, but this is a strong choice for school and public libraries.Kathleen Beck.
School Library Journal Starred Review
ALA Booklist
ALA/YALSA Best Book For Young Adults
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
National Council For Social Studies Notable Children's Trade
ALA/YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
Voice of Youth Advocates
Wilson's High School Catalog
Seventeen year-old Jonah Daniels has lived in Verona Cove, California, his whole life, and only one thing has ever changed: his father used to be alive, and now he is not. With a mother lost in a deep bout of depression, Jonah and his five siblings struggle to keep up their home and the restaurant their dad left behind. But at the start of summer, a second change rolls in: Vivi Alexander, the new girl in town. Vivi is in love with life. Charming and unfiltered, she refuses to be held down by the medicine she's told should make her feel better. After meeting Jonah, she slides into the Daniels' household seamlessly, winning over each sibling with her imagination and gameness. But it's not long before Vivi's zest for life begins to falter. Soon her adventurousness becomes all-out danger-seeking. Through each high and low, Vivi and Jonah's love is put to the test . . . but what happens when love simply isn't enough?