Everyone We’ve Been

On the way home from a concert, high school senior Addie Sullivan meets a guy she connects with. Then their bus crashes, and there’s no sign of him; when he turns up again, only Addie can see him. By this point, readers—who have access to chapters labeled “before”—know that the mystery “Bus Boy” closely resembles Zach, the guy Addie dated 18 months earlier. What they don’t know is why she doesn’t recognize this similarity herself. It’s only when Addie seeks help that she realizes her memories of Zach were erased; even more disturbing, there are other important things she doesn’t remember. This could be the setup for a thriller, but the secrets here are familial, not criminal—debut author Everett is interested in the role memory plays in shaping who we are. Though the idea that the one place with memory-erasing technology is just outside Addie’s small hometown stretches believability, and Everett’s examinations of memory, history, and resilience can be heavy-handed, she has crafted a complex and thought-provoking story. Ages 12–up. Agent: Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary & Media. (Oct.)