Tag: young adult

Young Adult Books with Multiple Narrators

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How do you feel about books with multiple narrators? Similar to books with dual timelines, books with multiple narrators or multiple perspectives are a hot topic.  Single narrative stories provide readers with one point of view, but typically go more in depth into the actions and the mind of that singular character. Multiple narrator novels add more dimension to the story. Readers learn more about each characters’ thoughts as well as showcasing multiple experiences. One of my favorite aspects of multiple narrator novels is that you learn more about the story, be it the actual truth or each narrators’ perceived truth. Which do you prefer: single narrators or multiple narrators? To help you decide, below you will find a list of young adult books with multiple narrators. As of this writing, all of these titles are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

6 Times We Almost Kissed (and One Time We Did) by Tess Sharpe

After years of bickering, Penny and Tate have called a truce: they’ll play nice. They have to. Their mothers (life-long best friends) need them to be perfect, drama-free daughters when Penny’s mother becomes a living liver donor to Tate’s mom. Forced to live together as their moms recover, the girls’ truce is essential in keeping everything—their jobs, the house, the finances, the Moms’ healing—running smoothly. They’ve got to let this thing between them go.

There’s one little hitch: Penny and Tate keep almost kissing.

It’s just this confusing thing that keeps happening. You know, from time to time. For basically their entire teenaged existence.

They’ve never talked about it. They’ve always ignored it in the aftermath. But now they’re living across the hall from each other.

And some things—like their kisses—can’t be almosts forever.

Told through the two girls’ present and six moments from their past, this dynamic love story shows that sometimes the person you need the most has been there for you all along. – Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

After Life by Gayle Forman

One spring afternoon after school, Amber arrives home on her bike. It’s just another perfectly normal day. But when Amber’s mom sees her, she screams.

Because Amber died seven years ago, hit by a car while on the very same bicycle she’s inexplicably riding now.

This return doesn’t only impact Amber. Her sister, Melissa, now seven years older, must be a new kind of sibling to Amber. Amber’s estranged parents are battling over her. And the changes ripple farther and farther out: Amber’s friends, boyfriend, and even people she met only once have been deeply affected by her life and death. In the midst of everyone’s turmoil, Amber is struggling with herself. What kind of person was she? How and why was she given this second chance?

This magnificent tour de force by acclaimed author Gayle Forman brilliantly explores the porous veil between life and death, examines the impact that one person can have on the world, and celebrates life in all its beautiful complexity. – Quill Tree Books

Darker by Four by June CL Tan

A vengeful girl. A hollow boy. A missing god.

Rui has one goal in mind—honing her magic to avenge her mother’s death.

Yiran is the black sheep of an illustrious family. The world would be at his feet—had he been born with magic.

Nikai is a Reaper, serving the Fourth King of Hell. When his master disappears, the underworld begins to crumble…and the human world will be next if the King is not found.

When an accident causes Rui’s power to transfer to Yiran, everything turns upside down. Without her magic, Rui has no tool for vengeance. With it, Yiran finally feels like he belongs. That is, until Rui discovers she might hold the key to the missing death god and strikes a dangerous bargain with another King.

As darkness takes over, three paths intersect in the shadows. And three lives bound by fate must rise against destiny before the barrier between worlds falls and all Hell breaks loose—literally. – Storytide

Four Eids and a Funeral by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé and Adiba Jaigirdar

When Said Hossain’s favorite hometown librarian dies, he must return from boarding school for her funeral and for the summer. Too bad being home makes it a lot harder to avoid facing his ex–best friend, Tiwa Olatunji, or facing the daunting task of telling his Bangladeshi parents that he would rather be an artist than a doctor.

Tiwa doesn’t understand what made Said start ignoring her, but it’s probably that fancy boarding school of his. Though he’s unexpectedly home for the summer, she’s determined to take a page from him and pretend he doesn’t exist. Besides, she has more than enough going on, between grieving her favorite librarian and her broken family while helping her mother throw the upcoming Eid celebration at the Islamic Center—a place that means so much to Tiwa.

But when the center accidentally catches fire, the mayor plans to demolish it entirely. Tiwa and Said will need to put their feelings aside if they’re going to get the mayor to change his mind. Will all their efforts be enough to save the Islamic Center, save Eid, and maybe even save their relationship? – Feiwel & Friends

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert

Bradley Graeme is pretty much perfect. He’s a star football player, manages his OCD well (enough), and comes out on top in all his classes . . . except the ones he shares with his ex-best friend, Celine.

Celine Bangura is conspiracy-theory-obsessed. Social media followers eat up her takes on everything from UFOs to holiday overconsumption—yet, she’s still not cool enough for the popular kids’ table. Which is why Brad abandoned her for the in-crowd years ago. (At least, that’s how Celine sees it.)

These days, there’s nothing between them other than petty insults and academic rivalry. So when Celine signs up for a survival course in the woods, she’s surprised to find Brad right beside her.

Forced to work as a team for the chance to win a grand prize, these two teens must trudge through not just mud and dirt but their messy past. And as this adventure brings them closer together, they begin to remember the good bits of their history. But has too much time passed . . . or just enough to spark a whole new kind of relationship? – Joy Revolution

Lulu and Milagro’s Search for Clarity by Angela Velez

Overachiever Luz “Lulu” Zavala has straight As, perfect attendance, and a solid ten-year plan. First up: nail her interview for a dream internship at Stanford, the last stop on her school’s cross-country college road trip. The only flaw in her plan is Clara, her oldest sister, who went off to college and sparked a massive fight with their overprotective Peruvian mom, who is now convinced that out-of-state-college will destroy their family. If Lulu can’t fix whatever went wrong between them, the whole trip—and her future—will be a waste.

Middle sister Milagro wants nothing to do with college or a nerdy class field trip. Then a spot opens up on the trip just as her own spring break plans (Operation Don’t Die a Virgin) are thwarted, and she hops on the bus with her glittery lipsticks, more concerned about getting back at her ex than she is about schools or any family drama. But the trip opens her eyes about possibilities she’d never imagined for herself. Maybe she is more than the boy-crazy girl everyone seems to think she is.

On a journey from Baltimore all the way to San Francisco, Lulu and Milagro will become begrudging partners as they unpack weighty family expectations, uncover Clara’s secrets, and maybe even discover the true meaning of sisterhood. – HarperCollins

Those Pink Mountain Nights by Jenny Ferguson

Overachievement isn’t a bad word—for Berlin, it’s the goal. She’s securing excellent grades, planning her future, and working a part-time job at Pink Mountain Pizza, a legendary local business. Who says she needs a best friend by her side?

Dropping out of high school wasn’t smart—but it was necessary for Cameron. Since his cousin Kiki’s disappearance, it’s hard enough to find the funny side of life, especially when the whole town has forgotten Kiki. To them, she’s just another missing Native girl.

People at school label Jessie a tease, a rich girl—and honestly, she’s both. But Jessie knows she contains multitudes. Maybe her new job crafting pizzas will give her the high-energy outlet she desperately wants.

When the weekend at Pink Mountain Pizza takes several unexpected turns, all three teens will have to acknowledge the various ways they’ve been hurt—and how much they need each other to hold it all together. – Heartdrum

The Queens of New York by E.L. Shen

Best friends Jia Lee, Ariel Kim, and Everett Hoang are inseparable. But this summer, they won’t be together.

Everett, aspiring Broadway star, hopes to nab the lead role in an Ohio theater production, but soon realizes that talent and drive can only get her so far. Brainy Ariel is flying to San Francisco for a prestigious STEM scholarship, even though her heart is in South Korea, where her sister died last year. And stable, solid Jia will be home in Flushing, juggling her parents’ Chinatown restaurant, a cute new neighbor, and dreams for an uncertain future.

As the girls navigate heartbreaking surprises and shocking self-discoveries, they find that even though they’re physically apart, they are still mighty together. – Quill Tree Books

This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi

To all the world, Alizeh is a disposable servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom forced to hide in plain sight.

 

The crown prince, Kamran, has heard the prophecies foretelling the death of his king. But he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the girl he can’t put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom—and the world. – Storytide

A Thousand Heartbeats by Kiera Cass

“Love has a sound. It sounds like a thousand heartbeats happening at the same time.”

Princess Annika has lived a life of comfort—but no amount of luxuries can change the fact that her life isn’t her own to control. The king, once her loving father, has gone cold, and Annika will soon be forced into a loveless marriage for political gain.

Miles away, small comforts are few and far between for Lennox. He has devoted his life to the Dahrainian army, hoping to one day help them reclaim the throne that was stolen from them. For Lennox, the idea of love is merely a distraction—nothing will stand in the way of fighting for his people.

But when love, against all odds, finds them both, they are bound by its call. They can’t possibly be together—but the irresistible thrum of a thousand heartbeats won’t let them stay apart.

Kiera Cass brings her signature sparkling romance to this beautiful story of star-crossed lovers and long-held secrets. – HarperCollins

Loving, Ohio written by Matthew Erman and illustrated by Sam Beck

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“We all lived here. In some way. And wherever you live it leaves imprints on you.” – Matthew Erman, Loving, Ohio

In Loving, Ohio, four teens are dealing with the tragic suicide of one of their friends amidst the mystery of an overbearing cult in this supernatural horror graphic novel voted one of New York Public Library’s Best New Comics of 2024. As someone who devours any and all fiction and nonfiction about cults, Loving, Ohio was the top of my list. The cult in this book gave me strong Church of Scientology vibes, but with enough quirkiness that I was freaked out at points.

Sloane, Elliott, Cameron, and Ana are four teenagers trying to make it through high school while people go missing or are murdered in the town where they live, Loving, Ohio. Loving was built around The Chorus, a new age cult with members in high ranking positions of power and influence within both the cult and the community. Everyone in the community is enamored by The Chorus with it leaching into any and every business and family around. Sloane and her friends are not thrilled with The Chorus and have plans to hopefully make it out of Loving alive. When one of their close friends dies by suicide, the four decide enough is enough. When more murders happen, the four find themselves hunting down the murderer while dealing with normal teen things like finding out their place in the world. All of this loss is dealt with while The Chorus looms over them.

This book was incredibly well written. The art was gorgeous, the story was freaky and unsettling, and the horror was horrifying. While Loving, Ohio clearly has supernatural elements throughout, the characters are still dealing with the mundanity of life, albeit with immense levels of grief and nightmare mixed in. Highly recommend.

Kirby’s Lessons for Falling (In Love) written and illustrated by Laura Gao

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Laura Gao’s latest graphic novel, Kirby’s Lessons for Falling (In Love), grabbed me from the start in this young adult graphic novel about someone so different from myself, yet so relatable. This coming-of-age story was beautiful and angsty and full of slow-burn romance that had me cheering at the end, hoping that each character would find their happily-for-now.

Kirby Tan learned rock climbing from the best, her father. After his death, she fell into a slump, but with her mother’s encouragement, Kirby went full-tilt into rock climbing and ended up becoming her high school’s top climber. With the nickname, ‘Queen of Balance,’ Kirby’s wish is to get a college scholarship for rock-climbing. Her dreams come to a pause when she suffers an injury at a meet that puts her out for the rest of the season. Without that extracurricular, Kirby needs another club to join. She finds her way to the newspaper club, specifically working on a love advice column, because of the extra credit promised. Bex Santos, the person in charge of the astrology-based column, couldn’t be more different than Kirby. She wears crystals, reads tarot, and isn’t afraid to share her opinions loudly to anyone and everyone. Kirby reluctantly helps Bex with these matches, but the more time she spends with her, the more Kirby starts to wonder if the two of them are connected via the stars. Is Kirby willing to go after what she wants with Beth while her church community and her family possibly against their relationship? How will Kirby balance her new life with Bex with her current life with her family and church friends? It’s all on the line.

Rez Ball by Byron Graves

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Byron Graves’ debut novel, Rez Ball, tells the story of a young basketball player determined to prove to his Ojibwe community that he  has what it takes to take the high school basketball team to the state championships for the first time ever.

Tre Brun, a sophomore at Red Lake Reservation high school, spends any free time he has playing basketball. Haunted by memories of his big brother Jaxon who recently died in a tragic accident, Tre decides he is going to try out for the varsity basketball team. He hopes to help take the team all the way to their first state championship. When Jaxon’s former teammates offer to help Tre on this new journey, he decides this must be fated. With one of his friends filming Tre for a future documentary, his dreams of playing in the NBA become even more solid. At home, Tre is constantly reminded of Jaxon and how much he doesn’t measure up to him, but Tre hopes that using his skills on the basketball court will allow him to match Jaxon’s talent. Tre knows he cannot mess up. The team has almost made it to state many times, but after decades of just misses, they actually have a chance with Tre this year. They have to win state, for Jaxon and for the whole rez.

This was a heartbreakingly gorgeous read. Graves portrays the ugly times, alongside the beautiful moments, but paces the story in a way to keep readers wanting more from start to end. This is a realistic look at balancing grief and legacy while trying to be your own person. As a non-basketball player, I can say that the basketball scenes were very well-written and easy to follow. This is a five star read for me!

This title is also available in large print.

Interested in this book? Rez Ball is the November See YA Book Club pick. We will be discussing this book on Wednesday, November 5th at 6:30pm at our Eastern Avenue branch. For more information about future See YA book picks, visit our website.

See YA Book Club

Join our adult book club with a teen book twist. See why so many teen books are being turned into movies and are taking over the best seller lists.

Registration is not required. Books are available on a first-come, first-serve basis at the Eastern Avenue library. We meet the first Wednesday of the month at Eastern at 6:30pm. Stop by the service desk for more information.

November 5 – Rez Ball by Byron Graves

December 3 – Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

The Golden Hour by Niki Smith

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The Golden Hour by Niki Smith is a young adult graphic novel that deals with healing from tragedy, friendship, discovering yourself, and having hope through it all. This was a difficult, but necessary read. *Trigger warnings for gun violence.*

Coming back to school after spring break, Manuel Soto is dealing with the aftermath of gun violence that happened at his school. None of his friends know that Manuel was present during the incident, something that Manuel would prefer to keep to himself. His therapist has suggested that Manuel find ways to anchor himself when he has panic attacks. His favorite way to do so is through photography using his cell-phone camera. His days are lonely, but when his art teacher pairs him with Sebastian and Caysha for a group project, he slowly starts to open up.

Manuel spends time with Sebastian and Caysha at Sebastian’s house, a grass-fed cattle farm just outside of town. Sebastian and Caysha are welcoming and understanding of Manuel’s quiet demeanor and his panic attacks, asking if he needs help and helping him to find anchors. The more time Manuel spends at Sebastian’s house, the more open he becomes. He spends time photographing the open fields around the house and of Daisy, the newborn calf that Sebastian is raising. When Sebastian and Caysha mention Ag-Club and the local county fair, Manuel is interested, but still a bit shy. Together the three prepare for the fair, while Manuel slowly starts to come out of his shell.

The Golden Hour was a gut-wrenching, yet completely necessary read. The artwork was beautiful, doing a wonderful job portraying the panic that Manuel went through on a daily basis. Manuel is by no means healed at the end of the story, but readers can see the progress that he has made and the promising hope his future now has.

Online Reading Challenge – September Wrap-Up

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Hello Fellow Challenge Readers!

How did your reading go this month? Did you read a young adult literature title for September? Share in the comments!

I read our main title: The Cousins by Karen McManus. McManus is known for her Bayview High series (One of Us is Lying, One of Us is Next, and One of Us is Back), but The Cousins is a standalone novel diving into one family’s sordid history. What caught my attention about this novel was the premise: three teenage cousins invited to spend the summer with their estranged grandmother at the resort she owns. Sounds intriguing and a bit familiar, right? I thought so, too.

The three Story cousins, Jonah, Millie, and Aubrey, are contacted by their estranged grandmother, inviting them to spend the summer in a resort beach town. Mildred Story, the estranged matriarch of the Story family, cut off her four children over twenty years ago, their only notice a cryptic letter stating, ‘You know what you did’. Despite her children professing to have no idea what they did to earn her displeasure, Mildred refused to see her children or correspond in any way. This new invitation to her grandchildren comes completely out of the blue, catching everyone off guard. The fact that Mildred is incredibly wealthy has her children hoping that the grandchildren will get access to her money if they land themselves in her good graces.

Millie, Aubrey, and Jonah have no desire to spend summer with their grandma. They are teenagers with their own summer plans! Despite their protests, the three soon find themselves in the crosshairs of the rich and reclusive woman who disinherited their parents all those years ago. After their initial meeting, the three realize that Mildred’s plans are different than what they thought. She becomes increasingly hard to get a hold of, disappearing for trips, and using her assistant to blow off the cousins’ requests to meet. The cousins spend their time on island working and looking for more information about their parents. This leads to discovering some of the dark secrets in the Story family’s past. What fractured the family structure years ago? Can the cousins find the truth and repair these destroyed relationships?

Told from the point of view of the three cousins, plus one of their parents, McManus has written a mystery full of twists and turns. Flashback chapters fill in background information and family secrets that the cousins would not have been able to discover on their own. (The flashback chapters are the ones that kept me hooked throughout the book to be honest.) What kept me from completely loving this book were the twists’ reveals. I had trouble suspending my disbelief during some of the reveals, as it seemed implausible that only a few people would realize what was happening. The ending also seemed very rushed, to the point where I had to reread the last three chapters and the epilogue to piece together the end, but I’m still confused… This was a three star read for me.

Next month, we will be reading fantasy!

In addition to following the Online Reading Challenge here on our Info Cafe blog, you can join our Online Reading Challenge group on Goodreads and discuss your reads!

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

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“What’s wrong with me? … I might seem like the ideal student: homework always in early, every extra credit and extra curricular I can get my hands on, the good girl and the high achiever. But I realized something just now: it’s not ambition, not entirely. It’s fear. Because I don’t know who I am when I’m not working, when I’m not focused on or totally consumed by a task. Who am I between the projects and the assignments, when there’s nothing to do? I haven’t found her yet and it scares me. Maybe that’s why, for my senior capstone project this year, I decided to solve a murder.”
― Holly Jackson, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder

Every community has a story that haunts the residents. The town of Fairview is not exception to this. Five years ago, popular high school senior Andie Bell went missing and her boyfriend, Sal Singh, was accused of her murder. Not long after Andie went missing, Sal killed himself, leaving the community bereft with questions and her family without a body. It was all anyone could talk about for years. Now five years later, senior Pippa Fitz-Amobi has decided to reopen the Andie Bell case as her senior capstone project. Pip believes that Sal was innocent and that the only way to find the real killer is to do her own investigation. This means digging for answers to a case that everyone else believes is closed. With the help of Sal’s younger brother, Pip reexamines this closed case. It doesn’t take long before Pip ruffles someone’s feathers enough that they start threatening her. This case takes a dangerous turn for all those involved.

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is the first book in the series of the same name by Holly Jackson. This series debut was intriguing from the start. Pip is smart and driven to solve this case, sometimes to the detriment of her own safety. Each character in this story is well-developed, while the plot wasn’t too predictable. The plot twists were unexpected. I also enjoyed that the author was able to weave in multiple storylines without it becoming too convoluted and confusing. All in all, a great read for both teens and adults.

Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series

  1. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (2019)
  2. Good Girl, Bad Blood (2020)
  3. As Good as Dead (2021)

Interested in this book? A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is the October See YA Book Club pick (it was also made into a series on Netflix!). We will be discussing this book on Wednesday, October 1st at 6:30pm at our Eastern Avenue branch. For more information about future See YA book picks, visit our website.

See YA Book Club

Join our adult book club with a teen book twist. See why so many teen books are being turned into movies and are taking over the best seller lists.

Registration is not required. Books are available on a first-come, first-serve basis at the Eastern Avenue library. We meet the first Wednesday of the month at Eastern at 6:30pm. Stop by the service desk for more information.

October 1 – A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

November 5 – Rez Ball by Byron Graves

December 3 – Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Leap written and illustrated by Simina Popescu

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When choosing what graphic novels to read, what typically catches my attention first is the art style. Leap, written and illustrated by Simina Popescu, is drawn in muted shades of gray and pink with pops of bright colors to highlight important and expressive moments. This graphic novel explores first love, friendship, identity, and what to do when our dreams change.

At a conservative performing arts school in Bucharest, Romania, two young dancers spend all day in class and practice, leaving what free time they have to navigate outside experiences. This graphic novel is a small snapshot of their overall lives, but still manages to pack quite the emotional punch.

Ana has been studying contemporary dance for years, but lately she is lacking the desire. Instead of going to practice, her focus has been on Carina, her girlfriend of three years and a classical ballerina with big ambitions that don’t necessarily include Ana. Carina is afraid of being outed, so their relationship stays hidden, leaving the two with limited time and locations to be a couple outside of school. Ana continuously gives up more and more of her own dancing future to help Carina reach her dreams, but at a major cost.

Sara, Ana’s new roommate, is surrounded by whispers and rumors that she may be the best dancer in the entire school (and the best dancer that the school has produced in years). Feeling sad in the classical track the year prior, Marlena, Sara’s mentor and instructor, advised her to leave classical and switch to contemporary where she might feel more comfortable. Sara has always admired Marlena, so the switch was an easy choice. This admiration blossoms into something more, leaving Sara unsure and questioning everything she’s known, looking for answers and help online and eventually from Ana. Starting as roommates, Sara and Ana become friends, sometimes arguing, other times turning to each other for guidance.

Fitting Indian written by Jyoti Chand, illustrated by Tara Anand

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Whenever I’m not sure what I want to read, I head to the graphic novel shelves in our teen section. While perusing those shelves one day, I found Fitting Indian written by Jyoti Chand and illustrated by Tara Anand. This debut teen graphic novel caught my attention from the cover alone. This powerful book discusses the stigma of mental illness, how harmful not discussing mental illness can be, and how communities that are honest about mental illness can save lives. I am beyond grateful that I stumbled upon this graphic novel and wish that I could put this in the hands of anyone struggling.

Growing up in a traditional South Asian family, Nitasha is navigating high school and her mental health while her parents want her to be the perfect Indian daughter. Nitasha continuously pushes back against their expectations, which only leads to disappointment on both sides. No matter what she does, it isn’t right. It doesn’t help that her older brother is a doctor and has everything together. Why can’t her parents understand that Nitasha will never be like him? Her life at school isn’t any better either. Her best friend, Ava, has found a new friend and is leaving her in the dust. Her crush, Henry, is also enthralled by the new girl. Angry, sad, and full of emotions, Nitasha turns to alcohol and cutting to cope. When those no longer help, Nitasha doesn’t know what to do. Will she ever be enough? And what will happen if she never is?

The Deep Dark by Molly Knox Ostertag

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Family secrets live at the center of Molly Knox Ostertag’s newest graphic novel, The Deep Dark. A mix of fantasy and romance, Ostertag has written a deeply emotional story of identity, grief, trauma, family, and loss all from the point of view of a high school student with serious adult responsibilities.

Everyone has secrets and high school senior Magdalena Herrera has many. Her secret just happens to be deadly and hidden in the dark basement of her family home. Mags and her family have been keeping this secret for decades, keeping friends at bay while they keep this secret safe and away from others. Mags spends her day working a part-time job, going to school, caring for her sick grandmother, and making out with a girl who already has a boyfriend. Mags wishes that she could have a happy, shiny life, but she is drawn to the basement every night to have her energy drained by her secret.

Mags has been isolated in her small desert community for years, seeming to have everything under control, while really she is slowly unraveling. When childhood friend Nessa walks back into her life, Mags begins to come out of her shell. Nessa brings hope for the future, but her motives aren’t entirely pure. Nessa remembers certain things from their shared past that she has questions about, putting the future that Mags has just started hoping for into question. Quickly Mags realizes that while she wants to be with Nessa, she has to stay behind with her secret without anyone’s help. Mags can’t afford to get attached or be distracted. When Mags’ darkness becomes too big for her to manage, she must decide what she is willing to sacrifice. Will she bring her secret fully into the open or will she remain locked in the dark with her secret, unable to live her life to the fullest?

This queer story with monstrous elements had me hooked from the start with unique page layouts and mixed use of black and white, and color. This is actually the second time I have read this book. This re-read allowed me to catch some foreshadowing that I missed my first read. The tension hit me harder on my second read. This is a story of learning to love and accept the darkest parts of yourself, even when they are angry and have the power to hurt you. Don’t let grief hold you back from overcoming your demons and learning to let other people love all of you no matter what.