The Words We Keep by Erin Stewart is a realistic and relatable novel that touches on themes of mental health, anxiety, perfectionism, and depression. The story follows Lily Larkin, a high school junior, who has been desperately trying to keep things together for herself and her family since the Night on the Bathroom Floor when she found her older sister Alice hurting herself. Micah, what can I say about him? He was a delightful angel who was battling his own demons. Since we meet him when he’s out of Fairview, we only learn a little of his past and struggle with depression, but enough to want to hug him and make it all better. He used his own knowledge of fighting monsters to recognize it in Lily before she was ready to admit it, and helped to give her strength to start fighting them. His way of fighting his demons is through art, but he’s able to use that to help Lily find her inner muse to write poetry. Lily finds her beloved older sister Alice slitting her wrists. Traumatized and nervous about Alice’s return from treatment, Lily worries about her own mental health. She’s partnered for a school project with Micah, a patient at Alice’s treatment center. Upon returning home, Alice seems a shell of her former self. As her mood improves Lily learns her sister stopped taking her meds just as Lily and Micah grow closer. This book is thought provoking, heartfelt, realistic and definitely educational to learn and understand more about the people who are brave enough to fight against mental health issues. this is probably going to be the only time i write a serious review about a book without any sarcastic undertones.

You know, it’s not the worst thing in the world to have someone know who you are.” Lily hasn’t seen her sister, Alice, since the Night of the Bathroom Floor. She can’t bring herself to visit her at Fairview Treatment Centre. Straight A student Lily thinks she needs to keep her school life separate from her home life if she’s going to stay afloat. She’s desperately trying to hold her family together. As long as I keep moving, whatever got Alice can’t get me, too. Lily hopes to stay as far away from Micah, who met Lily at Fairview, as possible. She’s scared of what will happen if her home life intrudes on her school life. This seems all but inevitable when Lily and Micah are paired up for a class project. “We’re combining our classes to explore what happens when words and art collide” While this book delves into some really dark places, at its heart it’s about acceptance. I enjoyed spending time with Lily and Micah as they got to know each other. The process of Lily learning to stop hiding was painful at times but ultimately rewarding. I adored the guerilla poetry. Before, I had a place. I was a daughter. A friend. A singer. I was a million things. Now I’m only one— the Burned Girl.” Even though we broke up years ago, Damon’s never fully gotten the memo that I’m not his to torment. The knot in my stomach expands, undulating out in all directions. When I look again, the boy with the sunglasses is still laser-beam focused on me. It is superrr emotional and very real for a YA book so just beware! I mean i always love a good ol’ YA sad book. They just always hit in the perfect way, especially this one. While rereading the words we keep i had forgot pretty much everything and so it felt like reading it for the first time again. Which is always so satisfying!

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It’s just, I have this vision, you know? A world where your diagnosis doesn’t define you, and getting help doesn’t make you weak or dangerous or other. And sometimes I forget that the world isn’t there yet.” Lily’s younger sister who is also struggling to cope with Alice’s absence and mental health issues.

Are you sure?” Sam straightens up, talking to me out of the corner of her mouth now. “Because he’s coming over here. Right. Now.” A beautifully realistic, relatable story about mental health and the healing powers of art–perfect for fans of Girl in Pieces and How it Feels to Float. The Words We Keep by Erin Stewart’s story follows high school junior Lily Larkin, who is desperately trying to hold things together for her family three months after her older sister Alice’s traumatic suicide attempt. Lily is partnered with Micah Mendez, a new student at school who knows all about Alice’s experience, and together they embark on an art project for school Erin Stewart is a writer and editor. She graduated from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and has a degree from Brigham Young University. Erin is also a weekly columnist in Salt Lake City. She lives in Utah with her husband and three children and is represented by literary agent Rebecca Sherman of Writers House. The Words We Keep Main CharactersWhat the hell, dude?” he yells, jumping up as a wet circle forms on his crotch. But the new kid is already walking away, hands raised like it’s out of his control.

video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="https://erinstewartbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/WordsWeKeep_Trailer.mp4" poster="https://erinstewartbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Screen-Shot-2022-01-19-at-12.25.05-PM.png"][/video] Other secondary characters in the book include Lily and Alice’s father and step-mother, Lily’s friends and classmates, and Micah’s mother The Words We Keep Summary Read Online This is a book about words, words which have the power to save and to soothe, it is about a girl, her sisters, and family responsibility. It is about a boy, a troubled boy, a misunderstood artist. It is about them and it is about the people they love. And it is a totally lovely book. In slow motion, I wipe her with a towel. Try to stop the blood. Find the source. But my shaking hands make it worse. Bright red on my skin. Smeared on the floor.Micah Mendez. Got expelled from his old school. I heard someone found him perched on Deadman’s Cliff, trying to, you know . . .” Damon makes a throat-slitting motion with his thumb. Who?” Kali asks, a singsongy lilt in her voice because OMG! It’s Damon! who she’s been in love with since fifth grade. She’s never forgiven me for the regrettable month freshman year when I dated him, mostly because I believed that beneath his assholery, there was a boy worth liking. What I really enjoyed was the guerrilla poetry. The little pieces of inspiration and hope throughout the school was a very special touch. It brought out a lot of love in others and support in time of need. No one knew what others were going through but those words helped someone along the way. Words are magical and powerful, we should use them in the right ways. Micah was in treatment with Alice, and he seems determined to get Lily to process not only her sister’s experience but her own. Because Lily has secrets, too. Compulsions she can’t let go of and thoughts she can’t drown out. Things that don't fit with the perfect girl she's supposed to be. I received a complimentary e-copy of this book, thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster, in exchange for my honest review.

Relaxation will not help me ace this,” I reply without looking up from my notecards, where I’ve written each line of my poem for today’s presentation. This only makes him cry harder, and Alice is crying, too, which makes no sense because she’s the bravest one of all. The formatting, the poetry, and Lily’s narrations worked beautifully together to deliver a story that will resonate with many while shining a light on the words we should never have to keep. For those who struggle with mental health, and for those who love someone who does, this is a beautiful reminder that we are not broken. We are not alone. And we should not be silenced.

I finally bought a physical copy and wanted to annotate it veryy heavily and that’s exactly what i did. But there is no lightning bolt of insanity. It’s more like a drizzling leak you don’t even notice until you’re gasping for air, suddenly and irrevocably aware that you’ve drowned in your own thoughts. It’s never just one grade,” I say, rubbing my temple to momentarily release the tension wrapping my head. Note to self: I have got to get more sleep. “Not all of us can have your raw musical talent.” I stare holes into my notecards. I pretend not to see him coming. Pretend I don’t notice when he’s standing right next to me. They embark on an art project for school, which involves finding poetry in unexpected places, and Lily realizes that it is the words she has been swallowing that desperately want to break through. Our Review