Accidental by Alex Richards

This timely, emotionally-resonant story about a teen girl dealing with the aftermath of a tragic shooting is a must-read from an exciting new YA talent.

Johanna has had more than enough trauma in her life. She lost her mom in a car accident, and her father went AWOL when Johanna was just a baby. At sixteen, life is steady, boring . . . maybe even stifling, since she's being raised by her grandparents who never talk about their daughter, her mother Mandy.

Then he comes back: Robert Newsome, Johanna's father, bringing memories and pictures of Mandy. But that's not all he shares. A tragic car accident didn't kill Mandy--it was Johanna, who at two years old, accidentally shot her own mother with an unsecured gun.

Now Johanna has to sort through it all--the return of her absentee father, her grandparents' lies, her part in her mother's death. But no one, neither her loyal best friends nor her sweet new boyfriend, can help her forgive them. Most of all, can she ever find a way to forgive herself?

In a searing, ultimately uplifting story, debut author Alex Richards tackles a different side of the important issue that has galvanized teens across our country.

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Wow. What to say about this emotional story?

First of all, this story may be upsetting to anyone who's lost someone to gun violence, so please be aware of that. It's not gratuitous at all, but it is there, since Johanna is just as much a victim as anyone else.

The characterisation in this is fabulous. Everyone is distinct and everyone is complicated. I loved that no one was just one simple thing; no one is The Brain or The Bully. They all have layers.

Guns, gun ownership and gun violence are extremely hot button topics in the USA. This book is firmly against gun violence, but no one argues against safe gun ownership. It's a fine line and the book walks it well.

There's also some of the best descriptions of panic attacks I've read in a long time. Really beautifully done. (It feels strange to describe them as beautiful! But they are so well written and never gratuitous.)

This is an amazing book that I really – well, 'enjoyed' is probably the wrong word given the subject, but it was a great read, I'm so glad I got to try it, and I'll be recommending it to people.