And while this is a very difficult topic to write about I feel that the author, Anica Mrose Rissi, handled this beautifully. Whether it be physical or emotional abuse is abuse and something that no one ever deserves but unfortunately it happens more frequently than we ever could imagine. Wow, this was an intense heart-wrenching story about a tough issue that I wish was more addressed in YA contemporaries. Thank you HarperTeen for providing an arc of this in exchange for an honest review! Anica tweets about bookish things at which is also her handle on Instagram.Īnica teaches in the Writing for Children & Young Adults MFA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts and is available for in-person and virtual writing workshops and presentations with groups of all sizes and ages. Her essays have been published by The Writer magazine and the New York Times, and she plays fiddle in and writes lyrics for the band Owen Lake and the Tragic Loves. As a former book editor turned writer and storyteller, Anica has spoken with kids and adults across the country about all pieces of the writing process. She now tells and collects stories, makes up songs on her violin, and eats cheese with her friends in central New Jersey, where she lives with her dog, Sweet Potato. Fan of dogs and ice cream.Īnica Mrose Rissi grew up on an island off the coast of Maine, where she read a lot of books and loved a lot of pets. Author of picture books, chapter books, middle grade, and YA.

Always forever maybe book