Every Last Word

A New York Times Best Seller If you could read my mind, you wouldn't be smiling. Samantha McAllister looks just like the rest of the popular girls in her junior class. But hidden beneath the straightened hair and expertly applied makeup is asecret that her friends would never understand: Sam has Purely-Obsessional OCD and is consumed by astream of dark thoughts and worries that she can't turn off. Second-guessing every move, thought, and word makes daily life astruggle, and it doesn't help that her lifelong friends will turn toxic at the first sign of awrong outfit, wrong lunch, or wrong crush. Yet Sam knows she'd be truly crazy to leave the protection of the most popular girls in school. So when Sam meets Caroline, she has to keep her new friend with arefreshing sense of humor and no style asecret, right up there with Sam's weekly visits to her psychiatrist. Caroline introduces Sam to Poet's Corner, ahidden room and atight-knit group of misfits who have been ignored by the school at large. Sam is drawn to them immediately, especially aguitar-playing guy with atalent for verse, and starts to discover awhole new side of herself. Slowly, she begins to feel more "normal" than she ever has as part of the popular crowd . . . until she finds anew reason to question her sanity and all she holds dear. Praise for Every Last Word"Clueless meets Dead Poets Society with awhopping final twist." -Kirkus Reviews "This book is highly recommended-readers will connect with Sam, relating to her anxiety about her peers, and root for her throughout the book." -VOYA "A thoughtful romance with astrong message about self-acceptance, [this] sensitive novel boasts strong characterizations and conflicts that many teens will relate to. Eminently readable." -Booklist "A brilliant and moving story about finding your voice, the power of words, and true friendship. Icouldn't put it down " -Elizabeth Eulberg, Author of The Lonely Hearts Club "Brilliant, brave, and beautiful." -Kathleen Caldwell, AGreat Good Place for Books "A riveting story of love, true friendship, self-doubt and self-confidence, overcoming obstacles, and truly finding oneself." -Melanie Koss, Professor of Young Adult Literature, Northern Illinois University "Romantic, unpredictable, relatable, and so very enjoyable." -Arnold Shapiro, Oscar- and Emmy-winning Producer "Characters to love and astory to break your heart. Readers will want to turn page after page and read every last word. Then do it all over again." -Marianne Follis, Teen Librarian, Valley Ranch (Irving) Public Library