No One Here Is Lonely

Gr 9 Up—Eden's life has been a set of constants and safety: her best friend Lacey, her crush Will, and her overachieving family are all predictable and reliable, until Will is killed in a car accident two weeks before high school graduation. Lacey begins drinking and distances herself, hanging out with a new set of friends Eden doesn't like, ditching Eden's carefully constructed summer as well as college plans. Eden's grief over losing Will overwhelms her until Will's mother gives her a phone number that leads her to a Cognitive Donor bank, where she can call and listen to Will's voice at any time. This disembodied Will responds to Eden and assuages her grief, offering encouragement and round the clock support, but Eden's reliance on him holds her back just as she needs to move forward. As her perfect family begins to fall apart and reconciliation with Lacey seems impossible, Eden realizes that endings are also beginnings, and relying on herself is the best way to pursue happiness. This emotional whirlwind is easy to fall into, as readers will be curious about the Cognitive Donor technology just as those dealing with grief and loss themselves will connect to Eden's journey to acceptance.