Damon laughs. “That’s the thing. You never know what’s going on in someone’s head.” He points to each of us. “Any one of us could be a secret psycho.”

Micah Mendez. Got expelled from his old school. I heard someone found him perched on Deadman’s Cliff, trying to, you know . . .” Damon makes a throat-slitting motion with his thumb. This is a story of family, of expectations, of extraordinary mental health challenges and of survival. There should probably be trigger warnings, suicide, overdosing, cutting are all part of this journey. For those who've been waiting for another book as powerful as All the Bright Places, then this is that book. And it even references some of those wonderful books that YA lovers have embraced for this type of book, the heart wrenching and the troubled, books like Everything Everything and The Sun is Not a Star, books we've loved and loved to share with students. Who turned out to be the savior was Micah. He has quite the reputation that followed him and he never let that stop him from being his true self and bringing others out from their shells. He was the perfect fit for this story, his love interest just didn’t fit nor make sense. In the sink, the red spirals away, but not the echo of her whispered help me. It fills my head, and I want to drown it out with screams. But I can’t. I need to be strong. For Alice. For Dad.

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However, there are some problematic elements in the book, and the portrayal of mental illness might be outdated. The story takes place in a modern school setting, but there is no aspect of counseling or therapy for the family, not even for Lily, who found her sister before their father rushed Alice to the hospital. Ava Lee has lost everything there is to lose: Her parents. Her best friend. Her home. Even her face. She doesn’t need a mirror to know what she looks like–she can see her reflection in the eyes of everyone around her. Dad scoops her up. Carries her, legs limp, blood dripping like a fairy-tale crumb trail down the stairs. He puts her in the car. Drives her away. Lily’s development and descent as the story progressed was heavy, and at times, difficult to read, but laced within every word chosen was an authentic battle and vulnerability that had my heart aching. Her anxiety and thoughts were well-laid, and, though I expect there will be those who question her choices and character, I believe Stewart has done a great job in shaping a real character in whom many will felt seen. Lily finds her beloved older sister Alice slitting her wrists. Traumatized and nervous about Alice’s return from treatment, Lily worries about her own mental health. She’s partnered for a school project with Micah, a patient at Alice’s treatment center. Upon returning home, Alice seems a shell of her former self. As her mood improves Lily learns her sister stopped taking her meds just as Lily and Micah grow closer.

A beautifully realistic, relatable story about mental health and the healing powers of art—perfect for fans of Girl in Pieces and How it Feels to Float. Sure. Sure. The dog groomer,” he says slowly, unconvincingly. “Can’t get enough of those little mutts.”Just relax.” Sam slings her violin case onto the desk next to mine, doling out the same advice she’s given me since we were freshmen. “That little vein on your forehead is getting angry.” I knew before even starting this book that I would love it and I was absolutely right! The writing is so beautiful and I like the way mental health was incorporated in the book. It talks about aspects of mental illness that are very significant and needs to be talked about more. Whatever. Bottom line, kid’s a psycho. You should put that in your Word of the Day, Lil,” he says, referring to my social media handle, LogoLily, where I geek out by making up new words. “P-S-Y--” Note: give me a brooding, male artist with a troubled past any day and I’ll love him to bits, and that’s exactly what I did with Micah. Micah, what can I say about him? He was a delightful angel who was battling his own demons. Since we meet him when he’s out of Fairview, we only learn a little of his past and struggle with depression, but enough to want to hug him and make it all better. He used his own knowledge of fighting monsters to recognize it in Lily before she was ready to admit it, and helped to give her strength to start fighting them. His way of fighting his demons is through art, but he’s able to use that to help Lily find her inner muse to write poetry.

I stare holes into my notecards. I pretend not to see him coming. Pretend I don’t notice when he’s standing right next to me. He finds us there, her head in my lap, her blood on my hands, waiting for someone who can fix this.

A high school junior who is struggling to keep her family together after her older sister, Alice, attempted suicide. Lily is trying to outrun her own mental health issues and compulsions. I use the term losing metaphorically, of course, because I’ve decided going insane is a process, and not a singular event, despite our eloquent idioms. Overall, this book deserves all the stars. It deserves a whole lot more than that. For now, though, I’ll just say that if you struggle with your mental health, if you need a story that makes you feel seen, this is the one for you. Ask for help. Love yourself. Let others love you, too. Because you are enough. No matter what the monsters say.

So until next month when Alice comes home from psych-ward sleepaway camp, I won’t know if we’re on the same slow train to locoville. All I know is that I, Lily Larkin, at the ripe old age of sixteen, am losing my freaking mind. A new student at Lily’s school who was in treatment with Alice. Micah is Mexican American and has his own past struggles with mental health.

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Who?” Kali asks, a singsongy lilt in her voice because OMG! It’s Damon! who she’s been in love with since fifth grade. She’s never forgiven me for the regrettable month freshman year when I dated him, mostly because I believed that beneath his assholery, there was a boy worth liking. When Lily and Micah embark on an art project for school involving finding poetry in unexpected places, she realizes that it’s the words she’s been swallowing that desperately want to break through. I’m pretty sure I know exactly what that was about, but I’m not about to spill my guts right here, with Damon just waiting for some juicy morsel of gossip. He’d just love to know where my sister’s been these last few months. The Germans have a word for it--schadenfreude--finding joy in the misery of others. And I’m not going to give all my über-competitive classmates the satisfaction. A gorgeous and deeply touching rumination on the power of art, this book is for anyone who has lost their words and lost their way. The Words We Keep is a tender, heartfelt, and realistic look at mental illness, familial love, and finding your voice.” —Kathleen Glasgow, New York Times bestselling author of Girl in Pieces and You’d Be Home Now