Faking Normal

Somewhere between Sarah Dessen and Laurie Halse Anderson lies Stevens’s rich debut about two adolescents grappling with extraordinary trauma. Alexi Littrell has two close friends, dates football players, and has a family that her older sister’s fiancé describes as “the best family in the world.” But she is carrying a secret about something that happened to her over the summer and is self-harming to mute the pain. Her classmate Bodee’s Kool-Aid dyed hair and quiet demeanor already set him apart from peers, but after his father kills his mother, he becomes even more of an object of pity and curiosity. When Alexi’s parents invite Bodee to live with them, the pair become friends, with Alexi helping Bodee release his guilt over his mother’s death and Bodee encouraging Alexi to speak out about what happened to her. Though the busy plot sometimes swallows Alexi herself, the mood is intense and the story moves briskly, complete with an ending so surprising that some readers may flip back to the beginning to start fresh. Ages 14–up. Agent: Kelly Sonnack, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. (Feb.)