You Know Where to Find Me

You Know Where to Find Me by Rachel Cohn

When I was 16, my friend Hayla killed herself. For months afterward, I--along with so many of Hayla's friends--mourned her death while feeling every range of emotion: guilt, anger, grief, and the temptation to do what Hayla did. In You Know Where to Find Me, Miles experiences the same kind of loss. The cousin Miles lived with and loved as a sister/best friend commits suicide, leaving Miles to navigate life without her. She struggles with conflicting emotions: knowing exactly why her cousin did it and feeling betrayed. To make matters worse, her guy friend (who is "just a friend" but who Miles has fallen for) falls in love with someone else. Miles believes this is due to her being overweight. The despair of two losses--her cousin to suicide and her love to another--is too much for Miles to handle, and she copes by abusing prescription drugs.

This book may sound like a bummer, but it's not--it's sharp, funny, and sad...just like life. I wish I'd had this book when I was 16. I'm so glad that I have it now.