You Know Where To Find Me

My second book about a misunderstood lonely girl with an eerie green cover image that extends through the whole jacket this week! What is with authors writing stories about female protagonists with long blonde hair (even though Miles dyed hers black) and penchants for escape from life through narcotics?

In all seriousness, however, I did find Rachel Cohn's novel, You Know Where To Find Me, a decent read. I'll be honest and say that I didn't find myself as riveted to the story as I have been with the last few books I've read (Madapple, The Hunger Games and Graceling, to be specific), but I found the story to be an honest and compelling first-person narrative of one character's struggle to figure out her way forward, navigating relationships with the other "survivors" after her sister-cousin commits suicide via overdose the day after high school graduation. Miles, aka "8 Mile" escapes life via un-perscribed medications and M&Ms, even as she drifts away from her best friend Jamal.

Pop culture references and homage to Cohn's hometown of Washington, DC snuck their way into the story, rounding it out nicely, and keeping it from being too depressing (in that way that novels about suicide and numbing pain through self-medication can be). I kinda wish we could've seen more of a development of her "8 Mile" side - more writing samples or more color in her language, something funky - but otherwise have no complaints. I'm not convinced of it's Printz potential, but I certainly see a world where it could happen, and I wouldn't be disappointed.

I wish I could've located an image of the entire jacket, but alas, am empty-handed. Apologies.