Book recommendation & giveaway! THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE by Leila Sales

Leila Sales has become an auto-read author for me, and her latest novel, THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE, will definitely not disappoint her fans — and should win her some new ones.

It's a contemporary YA about an outsider, Elise, carving out her place in the world. We're brought along for this rollercoaster, and in the beginning, Elise has dealt with bullying and loneliness for so long that she seriously considers suicide and even attempts it, just to see if anyone will finally notice her.

But despite the dark topics, the narration manages to not feel heavy (and not preachy, thank God, because I have ISSUES with thinly veiled After School Specials with Important Lessons). It just feels REAL. Sometimes (often) painfully real. A lot of it has to do with Elise's voice and Leila's trademark wit — and her keen eye for how the social hierarchy works in high school, and how arbitrarily cruel it can be.

Most of the novel focuses on Elise discovering herself as a DJ in an underground dance party, which is such a reader-rush, and it sets the stage for Elise's transformation. (And I love that, throughout all of this, she's imperfect and makes some realistic mistakes along the way. I had more than one moment of wanting to smack her upside the head to come to her senses.)

The genius is in how easily you connect with Elise and her point of view, and how you empathize with her. It happens so seamlessly in this book that you almost forget it's simply because Leila Sales is a fabulous writer.

Overall, it's an engaging story, and (as is key in contemporary) the characters are all fleshed out, with great dialogue, and a main character to root for. Read this book!

Buy it at: Barnes and Noble | IndieBound

One lucky reader will win my ARC! Info below!

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