A story that begins where too many others end, this stunningly written and unflinchingly authentic #ownvoices tale of love, loss, and hope will touch fans of All the Bright Places and Girl in Pieces.
Lifeโs tough when you didnโt expect to be living it. But now that Journey has a future, she apparently also has to figure out what that futureโs supposed to look like.
Some days the pain feels as fresh as that day: the day she attempted suicide. Her parents donโt know how to speak to her. Her best friend cracks all the wrong jokes. Her bipolar II disorder feels like it swallows her completely.
But other daysโthey feel like revelations. Like meeting the dazzling Etta, a city college student who is a world unto herself. Or walking into the office of the volunteer hotline, and discovering a community as simultaneously strong and broken as she is.
Or uncovering the light within herself that she didnโt know existed.
Praise for Faith Gardner'sย The Second Life of Ava Rivers:
""A beautiful, moving, and thoughtful story about how far we're willing to go for family."" โKathleen Glasgow,ย New York Timesย bestselling author ofย Girl in Pieces
โThis remarkable novel reproduces the personal and family trauma associated with the loss and recovery of a missing child. The Second Life of Ava Rivers is an enthralling tale.โย โVoice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)ย (starred review)
""Gardnerโs unforgettable voice blends Jodi Picoultโs emotional, ripped-from-the-headlines storytelling with Mindy McGinnisโs unflinchingly honest protagonists.""ย โBooklistย (starred review)
โGardner brings a unique tenderness focused on the human dynamics of creating family and individual identity in the face of tragedy.โย โBulletin of the Center for Childrenโs Booksย (starred review)
Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.
Faith Gardner is the author of If You Can Hear This, How We Ricochet, Girl on the Line, The Second Life of Ava Rivers, and Perdita. When sheโs not writing, she plays in the band Plot 66. She lives in the East Bay area and can be found online at faithgardner.com.