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Influenced

by Sarah Darer Littman

Friendship, anxiety, and the gap between appearances

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AlbakiReads Editorial

Friendship, anxiety, and the gap between appearances

Lainey’s twin brother has moved away, leaving her to question where she fits among the friends she shared with him. Bliss becomes an important presence in her life, but the confidence Lainey admires masks pressures Bliss is facing at school and at home. The novel brings together questions of belonging, anxiety, disability representation, and the strain that can emerge when one friend leans heavily on another. When Bliss suddenly stops responding, Lainey sets out to find her, and the friendship’s apparent certainties begin to unravel.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Teens interested in stories about friendship and changing social ties.
  • Readers seeking young adult fiction that addresses anxiety and belonging.
  • Readers interested in a school setting that includes a wheelchair user in a lead theatrical role.

Themes

Friendship and dependencyAnxiety and belongingDisability representationExpectations and appearances

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

What happens when friendship goes too far?

 

Tenth grade isn't going according to plan for Lainey. Her twin brother moved across the country to live with their dad and stepmom, leaving Lainey -- and her anxiety -- behind. And Lainey's starting to realize that maybe most of her friends were really her brother's friends. Thank god for Bliss.

 

Bliss is navigating her own tough sophomore year, determined to find her place. But no matter what's going on in her life, Bliss is really good about being there for Lainey. She's confident and fearless, all that Lainey wishes she could be. It seems like Bliss is getting everything she's ever wanted, including a new boyfriend and becoming the first wheelchair user to land a lead role in the school production.

 

What no one knows is that Bliss is struggling. At school it feels like everyone is always watching her, and at home, she's overwhelmed by her parents' expectations. When things get worse for Bliss, Lainey stops hearing from her completely. Panicked that something awful has happened, Lainey rushes to find out what's going on. But when Lainey arrives at Bliss's apartment, nothing is what it seems, and everything Lainey thought she knew about her friend is a lie...

 

 

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