SYNOPSIS:
In the next seventy-two hours, Kenna may lose everything—her friends, her freedom, and maybe even herself. One kiss of the blade was all it took to get her sent to the psych ward for seventy-two hours. There she will face her addiction to cutting, though the outcome is far from certain.
When fifteen-year-old Kenna is found cutting herself in the school bathroom, she is sent to a facility for mandatory psychiatric watch. There, Kenna meets other kids like her—her roommate, Donya, who’s there for her fifth time; the birdlike Skylar; and Jag, a boy cute enough to make her forget her problems… for a moment.
WHY SHOULD YOU CHECK IT OUT?
In the tradition of CUT by Patricia McCormick and IMPULSE by Ellen Hopkins, this tale of self-harm, a novel in verse, sounds dark and yet hopeful. The supporting cast is sure to be diverse and coping with varying degrees of mental health issues. As always, we’re excited by any YA novel that brings these kinds of struggles to the forefront of a reader’s mind.
In shocks of blood red, the title on the cover is impossible to miss. The etched lines of broken glass across the letters are a subtle but striking touch. The black background contrasts nicely and draws the eye to the sparkling blue-white edge of the crushed glass. It is not the most gorgeous cover, but we have a feeling it will reach deep down inside a viewer and stick with them.
Author Madeleine Kuderick grew up in Oak Park, Illinois where she was editor-in-chief of the same high school newspaper that Ernest Hemingway wrote for as a teen. This is her debut novel. Madeleine likes “writing about underdogs and giving a voice to those who are struggling to be heard”. Find her online at www.MadeleineKuderick.com!
EARLY REVIEWS SAY…
Kuderick debuts with a verse novel about a teenager’s cutting addiction, which is inspired by her own daughter’s struggle with self-mutilation. … Kenna’s situation and tentative steps toward recovery as she begins to face her demons may open the eyes of some readers. (Publishers Weekly)
[T]he simple characterizations could have made for a generic problem novel, but Kuderick’s keen diction and free-verse technique shine. Readers will devour this exposure of anorexia’s cultural cousin. (Kirkus Review)
NECESSARY DETAILS
YA Contemporary
Hardcover & ebook, 224 pages
Published on September 9th 2014 by HarperTeen (ISBN 0062306561)
http://www.epicreads.com/books/kiss-of-broken-glass/9780062306562/
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