Day’s YA – I’M NOT MISSING

Happy Friday, YA librarians! opens in a new window

Welcome to this special *Friday edition* of Day’s YA! I’ve been going on and on and on about this book to anyone who will listen (roommates, coworkers, librarians at PLA, unsuspecting strangers, etc.), so I’m very excited to share it will all of you!

opens in a new window I’M NOT MISSING by Carrie Fountain
9781250132512
Available July 10, 2018 from Flatiron Books
Ages 13 to 18

Wow. This book is stunning. It opens on Miranda and Syd—the very best of friends—hanging out in the pseudo-graveyard behind Syd’s house. It’s where they go to get away from the rest of the world and to be in the company of each other . . .

Miranda and Syd don’t have a lot in common (Syd is larger-than-life, and Miranda spends most of her time in Syd’s shadow), but they are bound together by one vital similarity: they both have mothers who’ve abandoned them. Miranda and her father are still very close, but Syd is now left with her deadbeat dad and his new wife, neither of whom seem to care much about Syd. Miranda is Syd’s only real companion and they’ve always been there for each other. Until Syd runs away in the middle of their senior year and with absolutely no explanation. Now Miranda is left behind again and must discover who she is on her own, as she works to untangle the clues Syd left behind. Along the way, Miranda must also navigate her first love, college decisions, and her evolving relationship with her adoring (and slightly nerdy) father.

The friendship between Miranda and Syd is so natural and true, their narrative took me back to high school for a little bit (oof…that’s a scary thought…). In fact, every relationship in the book feels so incredibly genuine; not only Miranda and Syd’s friendship, but also the tight-knit father-daughter bond between Miranda and her dad, and the sweet, slightly awkward, first-love relationship between Miranda and Nick. The characters in this novel are brilliantly developed and they drive the plot. I was rooting for each one simultaneously; feeling their successes and downfalls, their hopes and fears. By the end, I felt like I knew them so deeply. To top it all off, the desert setting of New Mexico is superb.

Carrie Fountain has written a beautiful book that took my breath away and I hope it takes yours away, as well.