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New York Times bestseller! In the tradition of Speak, Amber Smith’s extraordinary debut novel “is a heart-twisting, but ultimately hopeful, exploration of how pain can lead to strength” (The Boston Globe).
Eden was always good at being good. Starting high school didn’t change who she was. But the night her brother’s best friend rapes her, Eden’s world capsizes.
What was once simple, is now complex. What Eden once loved—who she once loved—she now hates. What she thought she knew to be true, is now lies. Nothing makes sense anymore, and she knows she’s supposed to tell someone what happened but she can’t. So she buries it instead. And she buries the way she used to be.
Told in four parts—freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior year—this provocative debut reveals the deep cuts of trauma. But it also demonstrates one young woman’s strength as she navigates the disappointment and unbearable pains of adolescence, of first love and first heartbreak, of friendships broken and rebuilt, all while learning to embrace the power of survival she never knew she had hidden within her heart.
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Customer Reviews
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4.4 out of 5 stars 3,912
4.6 out of 5 stars 23
4.5 out of 5 stars 15,886
4.3 out of 5 stars 366
4.4 out of 5 stars 162
Read more from Amber Smith!
When Jessa and Bird join forces to break up their best friends’ toxic relationship, they start to fall for each other in this swoony ’90s romance from bestselling author Amber Smith and Sam Gellar, perfect for fans of She Gets the Girl. Eden and Josh decide to give their relationship another chance in this much anticipated sequel to The Way I Used to Be that “highlights with painful honesty the process of moving forward following trauma” (Kirkus Reviews). A young woman struggles to find strength in the aftermath of an assault in The Way I Used to Be and tries to move forward in its highly anticipated sequel, The Way I Am Now—now available together in a paperback boxed set. This special edition of The Way I Used to Be features a foil-stamped paper over board cover, stenciled sprayed edges, and bonus content! A twisted tragedy leaves Brooke and her siblings on their own in this provocative novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Way I Used to Be. A “tender, beautifully told” (Julie Buxbaum, Tell Me Three Things) novel about a transgender boy who falls in love for the first time—and how first love changes us all—perfect for fans of Love, Simon and I Wish You All the Best.
ASIN : B00Z7C19EC
Publisher : Margaret K. McElderry Books
Accessibility : Learn more
Publication date : March 22, 2016
Edition : Reprint
Language : English
File size : 3.1 MB
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Enabled
Word Wise : Not Enabled
Print length : 384 pages
ISBN-13 : 978-1481449373
Page Flip : Enabled
Grade level : 9 – 12
Book 1 of 2 : The Way I Used to Be
Reading age : 14 years and up
Best Sellers Rank: #10,194 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store) #4 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction on Physical & Emotional Abuse (Kindle Store) #4 in Teen & Young Adult Emotions & Feelings Fiction eBooks #7 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction about Emotions & Feelings
Customer Reviews: 4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 15,886 ratings var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });
Customers say
Customers find the book addicting and heart wrenching in a good way, with a powerful story told in four parts. The writing is amazing, with one customer noting how it makes readers feel understood through their own trauma. They appreciate the realistic portrayal of trauma, with one review highlighting how it showcases a scenario that resonates with real-life experiences. The book receives positive feedback for its character development, with one review noting how Eden’s character dramatically changes throughout. While some customers say they read it quickly, others find the pace slow.