Accidental

by Alex Richards

This timely, emotionally-resonant story about a teen girl dealing with the aftermath of a tragic shooting is a must-read from an exciting new YA talent.

Johanna has had more than enough trauma in her life. She lost her mom in a car accident, and her father went AWOL when Johanna was just a baby. At sixteen, life is steady, boring . . . maybe even stifling, since she's being raised by her grandparents who never talk about their daughter, her mother Mandy.

Then he comes back: Robert Newton, Johanna's father, bringing memories and pictures of Mandy. But that's not all he shares. A tragic car accident didn't kill Mandy--it was Johanna, who at two years old, accidentally shot her own mother with an unsecured gun.

Now Johanna has to sort through it all--the return of her absentee father, her grandparents' lies, her part in her mother's death. But no one, neither her loyal best friends nor her sweet new boyfriend, can help her forgive them. Most of all, can she ever find a way to forgive herself?

In a searing, ultimately uplifting story, debut author Alex Richards tackles a different side of the important issue that has galvanized teens across our country.

• ISBN10: 1547603585
• ISBN13: 9781547603589
• Publish Date: 7 July 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
• Imprint: Bloomsbury YA
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 368
• Language: English

Reviews

[Sam@WLABB]

They said it was an accident that killed her mother - a car accident, but after 13 years, Johanna learns the truth. Though she doesn't remember it, she was responsible for her mother's death. Reeling from this bombshell, she must work through her emotions regarding her role in her mother's death, the lies her grandparents told her, and the return of the father she never knew.

When I first read the synopsis for this book, I thought about how tragic the situation was and then tried to imagine what it would feel like to learn that I was responsible for the death of another person. I found I couldn't fathom the depth of the pain, the guilt, and the self hatred, and with that, I must commend Richards for capturing these emotions so well. When Johanna ached, I ached. When she cried, I cried.

But, as always, I appreciate that the author tempered this pain with some of the most average teen joys. Look, I like romance and will forever welcome it. I was quite pleased with the bit of romance in this story. Not just because it gave me a bit of a break from the rather weighty issues, but because I needed Johanna to have someone on her side, to prop her up. She did have her two best friends, and it was beautiful the way many people reached out to her in a show of support, but I think him being new to her world and also dealing with daddy issues, brought her a perspective she needed.

I also appreciated the way the author handled the central issue of gun violence. Her focus was on gun safety and accidental deaths. So, this was not a commentary on the second amendment or gun owners, but about being responsible, and highlighting the frequency of deaths like this. She allowed characters on both sides of the the gun issue to volley a bit, but the spotlight was always on safety.

The theme of forgiveness permeated the story, as well. Johanna had to dig deep and find a way to forgive so many people in her life. Her father abandoned her and only came looking for her many, many years later. Her grandparents lied to her, and though it may have been to protect her, it was still a major deception from those she trusted. And then she was left with herself. How do you make peace with the fact that you, essentially, killed your own mother? The struggle came across as very difficult, but honest.

This was quite an emotional journey, and I thought Richards did a wonderful job taking me on it.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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