You Are the Everything

Gr 9 Up—Elyse is happy to be next to Josh Harris (always known by both his first and last name) on the flight back from a band trip to Paris. Sitting in front of her is Kath, her best friend, but they're not speaking because Kath ditched her for a boy while at the Eiffel Tower. Elyse is working on her graphic novel Me and Josh Harris: A Love Story when suddenly the plane tilts and then crashes. Only Elyse and Josh Harris survive. Picking up after long hospital stays, Elyse and Josh Harris (with their families) have both moved to Wyoming for a fresh start and are in a relationship. She still feels enormous guilt about surviving when Kath did not and continues having conversations with Kath, at times confusing the past with the present. Living with short-term memory loss, Elyse often "wakes up" in the middle of a conversation or event with no memory of what is happening or where she is. She experiences life as though she is viewing it from above, referring to herself as "you" throughout. Despite the distancing tone, the author grounds the story with a protagonist fully aware that she is living through extraordinary circumstances. This is good choice for those who enjoyed E. Lockhart's We Were Liars or books with pieces that only fit together after a surprising ending.