About the Book
A young woman struggles to find strength in the aftermath of an assault in the New York Times bestselling The Way I Used to Be and tries to move forward in its highly anticipated sequel, The Way I Am Now--now available together in a paperback boxed set. 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.
Following Eden through all four years of high school and beyond as she starts college, this deeply moving duology reveals the deep cuts of trauma. But it also demonstrates one young woman's strength as she navigates the disappointment of adolescence, first love and first heartbreak, and friendships broken and rebuilt, all while learning to embrace a power of survival she never knew she had hidden within her heart.
This paperback boxed set includes:
The Way I Used to Be
The Way I Am Now
About the Author :
Amber Smith is the New York Times, USA TODAY, and internationally bestselling author of the young adult novels The Way I Used to Be, The Last to Let Go, Something Like Gravity, and The Way I Am Now. An advocate for increased awareness of gendered violence and LGBTQIA+ equality, she writes in the hope that her books can help foster change and spark dialogue. She lives in Ithaca, New York, with her wife and coauthor, Sam Gellar, and their ever-growing family of rescued dogs and cats. You can find her online at AmberSmithAuthor.com.
Review :
"A heart-twisting, but ultimately hopeful, exploration of how pain can lead to strength." -- "The Boston Globe"
STARRED REVIEW "This is a poignant book that realistically looks at the lasting effects of trauma on love, relationships, and life....Teens will be reminded of Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak. VERDICT An important addition for every collection."-- "School Library Journal on THE WAY I USED TO BE"
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. It is The Hero's Journey through a distorted circus mirror--one girl's quest to turn desperation into courage, to become a survivor instead of a victim. Amber Smith gets it exactly right.--Amy Reed, author of BEAUTIFUL and CLEAN, on THE WAY I USED TO BE
"The Way I Am Now is powerful read from Amber Smith."--Culturess on THE WAY I AM NOW
"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 on THE WAY I USED TO BE "February 1, 2016"
"A poignant and painfully honest survival story about the aftermath of trauma. Amber Smith weaves Eden's narrative with a deft, empathetic touch that doesn't shy away from difficult truths. This is a courageous, necessary, and beautiful book." --Kathleen Glasgow, author of Girl in Pieces, The Agathas, and How to Make Friends With the Dark on THE WAY I USED TO BE
"Amber Smith centers the complex healing process and evolution of a promising relationship in The Way I Am Now."--Publishers Weekly
"Amber Smith has a way of holding our hearts so even the hardest things seem possible. With The Way I Am Now, she shows us that the potential of love and healing, no matter how messy, are already, and always, inside us."--Amy Reed, author of The Nowhere Girls on THE WAY I AM NOW
"Edy's exploration of the meaning of sexuality and intimacy will be thought provoking for teen readers of various experience levels, and this title is likely to find space alongside [Laurie Halse] Anderson's Speak." -- "BCCB"
"Highlights with painful honesty the process of moving forward following trauma."--Kirkus on THE WAY I AM NOW
"I could not put it down--a moving and powerful portrayal of trauma, love, and hope."--Alyssa Sheinmel, New York Times bestselling author of A Danger to Herself on THE WAY I AM NOW
"Readers who were captivated by Amber Smith's heartbreaking debut, The Way I Used To Be, will no doubt remember Eden and Josh, whose love story never had a real chance to take shape. The Way I Am Now is an absolute stunner of a sequel: a brave, complex journey of healing, relationships, and life after trauma. Amber Smith writes with unparalleled emotional nuance, and in her very capable hands, Eden and Josh are able to navigate new terrain both together and as individuals. A tender, vulnerable, and hopeful book that probes the intricate depths of human emotion."--Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, author of The Girls Are All So Nice Here and All Eyes on Her on THE WAY I AM NOW
"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, New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of Speak and Shout, on THE WAY I USED TO BE
