This emotionally haunting and beautifully written young adult debut delves into the devastating impact of trauma and loss, in the vein of Laurie Halse Anderson's Wintergirls.
Seventeen-year-old Stevie is trapped. In her life. In her body. And now in an eating-disorder treatment center on the dusty outskirts of the New Mexico desert.
Life in the center is regimented and intrusive, a nightmare come true. Nurses and therapists watch Stevie at meal time, accompany her to the bathroom, and challenge her to eat the foods she's worked so hard to avoid.
Her dad has signed her up for sixty days of treatment. But what no one knows is that Stevie doesn't plan to stay that long. There are only twenty-seven days until the anniversary of her brother Josh's death--the death she caused. And if Stevie gets her way, there are only twenty-seven days until she, too, will end her life.
Paperweight follows seventeen-year-old Stevie's journey as she struggles not only with a life-threatening eating disorder, but with the question of whether she can ever find absolution for the mistakes of her past...and whether she truly deserves to.
- Mental Health Fiction: Seventeen-year-old Stevie is trapped in an eating-disorder treatment center in the New Mexico desert, but the real prison is the devastating secret she's keeping.
- Grief and Loss: With only twenty-seven days until the anniversary of her brother Josh's death, Stevie has a plan. She believes she caused the accident, and she's determined to pay the price.
- Toxic Friendship: Through visceral flashbacks, Stevie untangles her intense relationship with her best friend, Eden, and the series of devastating choices that led to tragedy.
- Found Family: Forced to connect with her therapist and a roommate who sees through her defenses, Stevie must confront the question: does she truly deserve to be saved?
- YA Problem Novel: Fans of Laurie Halse Anderson's Wintergirls and other unflinching, emotional young adult stories will be captivated by Stevie's raw voice and her journey toward forgiveness.
About the Author :
Meg Haston is the author of How to Rock Braces and Glasses and How to Rock Best Friends and Frenemies. She lives in Jacksonville, Florida, where she writes and works as a counselor in an independent school. Paperweight is her first young adult novel.
Review :
"A carefully constructed buildup still lends to a quick read, which is hard to put down." - School Library Journal
★ "Haston's contribution to the genre stands out for the complexity of its characters and for small, telling details that demonstrate just how difficult recovery can be." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Haunting yet hopeful, this book offers a realistic portrayal of eating disorders, guilt, and anxiety." - Brightly
