Title: Alone Together
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Genre: YA Contemporary Fiction
Release Date: May 1, 2018
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Summary
Sadie Carter’s life is a mess, as wavy and tangled as her unruly hair. At 15, she is barely surviving the chaos of her large Catholic family. When one sister becomes pregnant and another is thrown out, her unemployed dad hides his depression, and her mom hides a secret. Sadie, the peacekeeper and rule-follower, has had enough. The empty refrigerator, years of hand-me-downs, and all the secrets have to stop. She longs for something more and plans her escape.
However, getting arrested was not her plan. Falling in love was not her plan. With the help of three mysterious strangers—a cop, a teacher, and a cute boy—maybe Sadie will find the strength to defy the rules and do the unexpected.
Told in verse, Sarah J. Donovan’s debut Alone Together has secrets, romance, struggle, sin, and redemption, all before Sadie blows out her 16 candles. It’s a courageously honest look at growing up in a big family.
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Praise for Alone Together (Goodreads)
“Haunting, hopeful, and written in beautiful verse …” ~ Chea Parton, UTeach Urban Teachers Outreach Director
“I loved the voice of this novel, falling hard for Sadie and her role in a big family that she both loves and feels burdened by. I read the book in one take, not wanting to put it down until I knew how Sadie would turn out.” ~ Sophia Sarigianides, co-author of Rethinking the Adolescent in Adolescent Literacy
“I was hooked from the beginning and literally did not put the book down until I had read the last page! The use of verse made the words flow effortlessly together. It felt like such an honor to be given this glimpse into Sadie’s teenage life in a big family. She is hardworking, kindhearted, and lonely: I was cheering for her the whole time.” ~ Jaime L.
“With Donovan’s style, it is as if the true emotions of the characters are felt more by the reader. The use of white space and the subtraction of numerous sentences of prose allows the reader to feel the emotions of the character. Rather than just getting a play-by-play, you get to live in Sadie’s thoughts as her story unfolds. […] Donovan’s first book should be put on everybody’s list. I know I certainly can’t wait until she writes her next great novel!” ~ Lindsey Buck