Gr 9 Up--Emory Ward has spent her life living in the shadow of her beautiful older sister, her troubled brother, and her super successful parents who expect her to be perfect. After a summer of turmoil, Emory returns to school as an outcast--the sister of an addict who the whole town holds responsible for the death of a young girl, she struggles to make new friends and take care of her brother who seems dangerously close to a relapse all the time. A story on the surface that seems to focus around her brother's addiction and rehabilitation, it's really about Emmy's story of rehabbing who she is and who she wants to be. This portrays the very real struggles that many communities experience. The narrative presents a nuanced look at a family trying to keep their loved ones safe and the toll that addiction takes on all of its members. A heartbreaking yet important story that will resonate with many, it also brings home the effects that addiction can take on an entire community. VERDICT A must-have for all high school fiction collections.--Erica Coonelly, Monroe Township M.S., NJ

Sixteen-year-old Emory Ward, who cues as white, feels invisible. After she and her older brother Joey are in a car crash that kills another student, and heroin is found in Joey's system, her life fractures. Her friends abandon her for her perceived part in their classmate's death; her relationship with Joey, even after he returns from rehab, isn't the same; and she shoplifts to ease the pain of not being seen. The teens' mother, whose family built the mill that gave their small town its name, expects too much of both recovering Joey and "good" child Emory, but connecting with friends old and new allows Emory to finally begin building self-confidence and meaningfully support her brother. Glasgow (How to Make Friends with the Dark) tackles such difficult topics as classism and bigotry in the educational system, and draws struggles with addiction, especially Joey's, with remarkable compassion. A melodramatic twist in the third act unfortunately undercuts the nuance established by the book's beginning, but Emory and Joey's journeys and sibling relationship are memorable, and the conclusion admirably humanizes a group of people whom society frequently demonizes. Ages 14--up. Agent: Julie Stevenson, Massie & McQuilkin Literary. (Sept.)

Everyone in Mill Haven has secrets--even smart, rich Emory Ward, kid sister to the beautiful Maddie and troubled Joey. The night she and Joey were passengers in a car crash that killed Candy MontClair, Emmy thought Joey was just drunk; no one knew the extent of his drug addiction until then. When Joey comes home after months of rehab, their mother instructs Emmy to be with Joey 24/7 to make sure he adheres to the suffocating volume of rules laid out for him. Emmy loves Joey and wants to help him stay strong, but she has her own secret struggles. With the help of unlikely but welcome allies, Emmy's love and support for her brother remain constant, especially when he feels lost and at his most fragile. Meanwhile, the realities of "ghosties"--homeless and drug addicted people living by the town's river--are exposed, compel action, and give new meaning to community. Told by Emmy, who courageously begins to shed the labels thrust upon her, Glasgow's new novel compassionately illustrates the profound power of love and how deeply the opioid crisis and addiction affect families and the towns in which they live. The play Our Town and the author's own recovery are the inspiration behind this remarkable and engrossing novel of life's balance and imbalance between struggle and joy.

A gut-wrenching look at how addiction affects a family and a town. Emory Ward, 16, has long been invisible. Everyone in the town of Mill Haven knows her as the rich girl; her workaholic parents see her as their good child. Then Emory and her 17-year-old brother, Joey, are in a car accident in which a girl dies. Joey wasn't driving, but he had nearly overdosed on heroin. When Joey returns from rehab, his parents make Emory his keeper and try to corral his addictions with a punitive list of rules. Emory rebels in secret, stealing small items and hooking up with hot neighbor Gage, but her drama class and the friends she gradually begins to be honest with help her reach her own truth. Glasgow, who has personal experience with substance abuse, bases this story on the classic play Our Town but with a twist: The characters learn to see and reach out to each other. The cast members, especially Emory and Joey, are exceptionally well drawn in both their struggles and their joys. Joey's addiction is horrifying and dark, but it doesn't define who he is. The portrayal of small-town life and its interconnectedness also rings true. Emory's family is White; there is racial diversity in the supporting cast, and an important adult mentor is gay. Glasgow mentions in her author's note that over 20 million Americans struggle with substance abuse; she includes resources for teens seeking help. Necessary, important, honest, loving, and true. (Fiction. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.