The Way I Used to Be: The TikTok sensation(1 The Way I Used to Be)

Eden was always good at being good. Starting high school didn’t change who she was. But the night her brother’s best friend rapes her, Eden’s world capsizes. What was once simple, is now complex. What Eden once loved—who she once loved—she now hates. What she thought she knew to be true, is now lies. Nothing makes sense anymore, and she knows she’s supposed to tell someone what happened but she can’t. So she buries it instead. And she buries the way she used to be. Told in four parts—freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior year—this provocative debut reveals the deep cuts of trauma. But it also demonstrates one young woman’s strength as she navigates the disappointment and unbearable pains of adolescence, of first love and first heartbreak, of friendships broken and rebuilt, all while learning to embrace the power of survival she never knew she had hidden within her heart.

About the Author :
Amber Smith is the New York Times-bestselling author of the young adult novels The Way I Used to Be and The Last to Let Go. An advocate for increased awareness of gendered violence, as well as LGBTQ equality, she writes in the hope that her books can help to foster change and spark dialogue surrounding these issues. She grew up in Buffalo, New York, and now lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her partner and their ever- growing family of rescued dogs and cats. You can find her online at AmberSmithAuthor.com.

Review :
'Eden is a young woman silenced by threat and shame, but so too is she a character who will inspire hope, for her extraordinarily gripping story is not only a call for action but a reminder of the power we find within ourselves to overcome and survive.' Amy Beashel, author of We Are All Constellations 'A difficult, painful journey, but teens who have experienced rape and abuse will be grateful for this unvarnished and ultimately hopeful portrait. Eden’s shell-shocked narrative is an excellent narrative conduit for what Smith has to say.' Booklist 'This young adult novel is an unflinching look at the struggles of a rape victim to process her trauma and find the strength to rebuild her life.' Laurie Halse Anderson, author of Speak 'This isn’t an easy read, but it’s an important one… I was incredibly moved by Smith’s powerful writing, and Eden’s story of growth and survival is one you won’t want to miss. You’ll be thinking about this one long after you read that final page.' Seventeen Magazine 'The Way I Used to Be explores the aftermath of sexual assault with a precision and searing honesty that is often terrifying, sometimes eerily beautiful, and always completely true... Amber Smith gets it exactly right.' Amy Reed, author of The Nowhere Girls