* A Bank Street Best Children’s Book of 2017 * A Georgia Peach Book Award Nominee *Read the book New York Times bestselling author Amber Smith calls “powerful and haunting,” and acclaimed author Peter Brown Hoffmeister calls “beautiful and sad.”Now Is Everything is a stirring debut novel told in alternating THEN and NOW chapters, perfect for Sarah Dessen and Jennifer Niven fans, about what one … chapters, perfect for Sarah Dessen and Jennifer Niven fans, about what one girl is willing to do to protect her past, present, and future.
The McCauleys look perfect on the outside. But nothing is ever as it seems, and this family is hiding a dark secret.
Hadley McCauley will do anything to keep her sister safe from their father. But when Hadley’s forbidden relationship with Charlie Simmons deepens, the violence at home escalates, culminating in an explosive accident that will leave everyone changed.
When Hadley attempts to take her own life at the hospital post-accident, her friends, doctors, family, and the investigator on the case want to know why. Only Hadley knows what really happened that day, and she’s not talking.
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Hadley has lost her mother and father in a plane crash, and we start our story off with her making national headlines as being the only survivor. Giles weaves the story in alternate timelines of the past with Hadley and her family, and the present, with her in the hospital on the road to recovery. The secrets that are revealed as we explore Hadley’s past run heartbreakingly deep and are ultimately what has gotten us to the present.
As the blurb indicates, Hadley’s ultimate goal is to keep her sister Lila safe from their father. He is mentally and physically abusive and as long as Hadley plays the game, she can keep the spotlight of his rage on herself and away from her sister. As the captain of the lacrosse team and a serious overachiever, she has to work hard to keep her position in the school, and if that means keeping secrets to keep her sister and her secret safe, then that’s what she needs to do.
Giles pulls no punches when it comes to the subject matter and I think that kind of raw honesty is sometimes needed to call attention to the horrors placed on our children. It highlights the lengths a person will go to keep their secret, because of the fear of the repercussions that they have to deal with at home.
But the book isn’t just about the abuse, it talks a lot about challenges that teens face today such as young love, finding birth control (and praying it works), pressures in sports and helicopter parents that are too invested in their children’s performance in a particular sport. (ie: her father). I think because he is such an abusive p.o.s, that the abuse comes across in so many aspects of Hadley’s life.
What hurt me the most was that yes Hadley was good at hiding the bruises, but there were so many people in her life that had suspicions, but it never went more than just worry. I think speaking up is so multi-layered because if you speak up to the parent, it might get worse. If you speak of to the authorities, because you don’t have proof, it might be brushed off, and we see that exact thinking in Hadley’s coach. And it shouldn’t take proof to investigate and I know attitudes are changing in that aspect.
This was so well-written with intricate attention to detail. The characters are excellent and they all have a place in Hadley’s world. I appreciated that Hadley had Charlie for a boyfriend, someone she could be open with about what was going on at home. Hadley spends so much time trying to protect other’s from her secret, it must be utterly exhausting. As she says “I’m a million shattered pieces. Tiny shards that will cut anyone who tries to clean up my mess.” A heartbreakingly beautiful read.
Now Is Everything is one of those books that has you crying and cringing at the same time. When I went to the library to get some new books this book was on the shelf. I picked it up and read the jacket and said I have to read this book. This book has everything in it from alcohol, to abuse, to avoidance of things.
Hadley is a good girl. She does everything her father says because if she does not then she will have hell to pay and it is just not worth it in her eyes. So she has great grades, plays sports, and takes care of her little sister. Her mother is an alcoholic and drinks her day away not caring what happens or when. Then you have Hadley’s little sister who is so innocent without a care in the world because her sister takes all the beatings for her. Then you have Charlie who Hadley has had a crush on for so long she can’t remember. Then there is Hadley’s dad who I left for last because he is an abuser and I hate HATE abusers. He beats and belittles his wife and older daughter. And Hadley has ha d enough there is time to do something about it because he is going to kill her one day.
Then Charlie and Hadley start building a friendship that turns into a relationship and she can no longer hide the abuse. She tells Charlie everything and they come up with a plan to stop Hadley’s father from abusing her or her little sister.
Powerful and haunting, NOW IS EVERYTHING explores the complexities of family and abuse, as we follow one girl on her courageous journey to choose love over hate and hope over fear.
Hadley’s life looks perfect from the outside. Her family is wealthy, and she’s a successful athlete and student. What you don’t see is that Hadley’s father works at breaking her down, day after day, forcing her into playing lacrosse and taking flying lessons (his two passions), monitoring her whereabouts and food intake, berating and belittling her constantly, and much worse. Hadley endures it all though, if it keeps the spotlight off her beloved spitfire of a little sister, Lila. Hadley would do anything to keep her father’s focus off of Lila. Lila’s only ten–the age her father targeted his laser beam on her. Hadley’s life improves, however, when she secretly starts dating Charlie Simmons. On the surface, Charlie’s life isn’t anything like hers–he’s the son of a poor single mom, but the two quickly find they have more in common than they realize. Even better, Charlie gives Hadley something she hasn’t had in a long time: hope. Then, Hadley is in a plane crash, which tragically leaves her family is dead. Only Hadley can tell everyone what happened, but she isn’t divulging the details. What happened that day in the plane? And why would it cause Hadley–the only survivor–to want to take her own life?
This book. Oh this book. Wow. I completely overlooked this one on my ARC shelf, and for that, I deeply apologize. But, I’m so, so, so glad I did pick it up! This is an amazing, powerful, and heartbreaking book and easily one of my favorite books I’ve read this year.
Part of the power comes via its format, which seems simple on the surface. The novel and its details are all a slow build via a “then” and “now” format plus transcripts and bits of evidence from the crash investigator. All of our “then” and “now” portions come from Hadley’s point of view and leave us constantly wondering. Why is her dad all over her? What makes him so evil? You are also left in utter confusion and suspense over exactly what happened during the crash (and why it happened). I read the second half in one sitting, staying up late to finish it. I simply had to know what happened to Hadley.
I credit this to Giles’ writing, which is superb. You will get sucked in by Hadley extremely early. She’s a well-written, compelling character, and it’s nearly impossible not to become part of her life. In fact, rarely have I felt so strongly for characters in a novel in a long time. If I could have, I would have gone and rescued those children myself! I simply loved Hadley and her wonderful, feisty sister, Lila. The hate I felt for their horrible, abusive father–and, sometimes, their apathetic, passive mother, was insane. They felt like real people. I was completely involved.
In fact, those poor kids. The book actually made me feel tense just reading about their lives. It was so well-done that I read portions of it with a knot in my stomach. (As a note, there’s definitely a trigger for abuse.) Watching Hadley try to protect her sister and live up to adult expectations far beyond her teen years–seriously, guys, it was heartbreaking and yet amazing to read. You will find yourself rooting for Hadley and Lila in an inexplicable way.
The ending on this one is interesting. I’m still pondering it. The fascinating thing about this book is that you know *something* has to have happened up in that plane, but you don’t know exactly what, or how it all goes down. The ending made me go “wow.” I’m not exactly sure it’s what I would have chosen, but it still felt right somehow. Although I was so attached to Hadley, that I wish there was a sequel of sorts, because I still feel bonded to the girl. That’s how well-done this novel was!
Overall, this is just a lovely book. Very, very rarely does a book make me cry. This one did. This is not a light read, no, but there are still funny moments, beautiful moments, and heartwarming moments among all the dark ones. You will not regret reading this book. Huge kudos to Amy Giles for writing such a powerful and wonderful novel that so deftly deals with abuse and aspects of mental illness. I feel like Hadley and Lila will stay with me for a long time. 4.5 stars.