How She Died, How I Lived

Gr 9 Up—On a fateful July evening, Kyle Paxson texted five local girls with offers to hang out. Jamie was the only one kind enough to answer, and when she met up with him, he brutally murdered her. One year later, the unnamed narrator—one of the five girls who was texted—is still struggling with survivor's guilt. It doesn't help that Kyle's sentencing hearing is coming up. While she struggles with the knowledge that someone had premeditated her murder—Kyle was quoted as saying that he didn't care who showed up—she is also dealing with feelings for Jamie's boyfriend Charlie who has become angry, brooding, and distant after Jamie's murder. As Kyle's sentencing draws nearer, and her feelings for Charlie grow stronger, the narrator must reconcile a maelstrom of emotions. Can love and hope exist in the wake of such random and senseless violence? Crockett's first novel defies genre; it is a book about grief, acceptance, and forgiveness. Written in short, digestible chapters, the emotion-filled narration so authentically captures the traumatic experience, that the reading experience could be overwhelming for some. The writing grabs readers and never lets go. Crockett delves deep into the heart of grief and pain through her narrator, who is witty and vulnerable, making this a quick but heartrending read.