Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance

A lyrical touching novel about the aftermath of grief and learning over time to weave it into the fabric of your life. Sally Holt is about to enter eighth grade when her beloved sister Kathy, dies in an auto accident. Sally was also in the car and the driver was Billy, Kathy's boyfriend and for different reasons, they both carry guilt about their role in the event. The story then follows the two of them, as well as Sally's parents, through the years as they slowly accept the death and learn to move on. Told from Sally's point of view, we watch her grappling with all the challenges of growing up, including an ondoing friendship and eventual touching romance with Billy, the only person who she feels truly understands her. While the subject matter is dark and painful, the book is not a downer but instead an uplifting treatise on coming to terms with loss, continuing to mourn but also learning from the experience to appreciate all that life offers you. It's a profoundly moving and thoughtful book and I highly recommend it.

My thanks to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy.