All in Pieces

Gr 10 Up—Savannah is a good person trying to do right by her younger brother, Evan, who has an intellectual disability. When her misogynist, emotionally abusive boyfriend calls Evan a "retard," Savannah stabs him in the hand with a pencil. She is sent to an alternative high school her senior year for "anger management issues." Here she befriends recovering addict Travis and Retha, who also has anger management issues. These two are Savannah's only support system, as she lacks meaningful adult supervision. Her mother ran off a few years back, her father is an alcoholic who wants nothing to do with Evan or Savannah, and her aunt believes her to be dangerous since the stabbing incident. At her new high school, the teen keeps her head down and does the work, making sure she is home in time to care for her brother. She has no time for anyone else in her life, especially not rich boy Cameron. But when Savannah's life begins to slowly unravel, Cameron proves to be a friend before anything else. Young's characters are likable and believable in their flaws. The protagonist's authentic voice makes this title a fast read and hard to put down.