August and Everything After

Quinn and Malcolm are each grieving the loss of friends: narrator Quinn’s best friend died in a car wreck that nearly killed her, and two of Malcolm’s band members died in a bus accident. Both teens are also struggling with the aftermath of being close to death themselves; Quinn suffers from anxiety, and Malcolm turns to alcohol and drugs to escape. When Malcolm invites Quinn to play drums in his band, she finds the perfect summer distraction from her grief. Doktorski (The Summer After You and Me) fills her latest novel with music—Quinn playing the drums at band practice with Malcolm, recording an album, and playing live. The teens wrestle with their own darkness; Malcolm tries to conquer addiction, and Quinn tries to work through the guilt surrounding her best friend’s accident and its consequences. This is a satisfying blend of family drama, romance, and music, staged in the aftermath of tragedy. Ages 14–up. [em]Agent: Kerry Sparks, Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency. (May) [/em]