On a rainy March night, Willow Randall’s parents drank too much and asked her to drive them home. They never made it – Willow lost control of the car, and both of her parents were killed. Now, seventeen-year-old Willow has left behind her home, friends, and school to move in with her older brother, his wife, and their new baby.

Trapped in a life she never expected, Willow desperately wishes things would return to the way they were – but they can’t. Tormented by guilt and petrified by grief, she goes through the motions just trying to cope. Willow numbs her new, grim reality by secretly cutting herself – the only way she thinks she can gain control amidst dysfunction and chaos. When her classmate, Guy, discovers her secret, it sparks an intense relationship that turns the “safe” world Willow has created for herself upside down. His refusal to let her go forces Willow to relearn how to let people in.

Julia Hoban’s evocative novel, WILLOW explores the utterly painful and isolating effects of loss with the paradoxically essential need for human connection and understanding. Julia creates a character as complex as her situation. Extremely smart and thoughtful, Willow not only faces the task of refiguring her life without the people who mattered most, but falls in love with the first person to know everything about her. It is through this connection with Guy, their shared love for books, and the love of her family, that Willow begins to heal.


Reviews:

“lush and intense, tortured and romantic, this is a compelling story with some well-nigh irresistible elements…”

—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
 

“Willow isn't just about self-harm. It's also about first love, and the redemptive power of love generally. When Guy happens along, Willow is presented with a way out. The question is can she trust enough to take it. The love affair is beautifully told, with great observation of all the worries and insecurities adolescents - self-harming or not - bring to any relationship. It's about secrets too - and how destructive they can be. Willow is convinced that her brother blames her for her parents' death, but of course he has grief of his own, and it isn't directed at his sister. As she learns to trust Guy, Willow finds she is also able to trust her brother, and to begin to open those healing lines of communication.

It's a painful subject, but Willow is skillfully told. The essential and uplifting message, is that not every problem can be solved, but there is no bad situation that cannot be improved. Recommended.”

—thebookbag.co.uk
 

“Willow is a real, honest, and emotional book. From the moment you pick the book up, you are invested in Willow and her well-being... It's beautiful.”

—Pop Culture Junkie

“All of the characters in Willow are real and complex… Not only will teens love this book but adults will also. One warning: once you start reading Willow, you will not be able to stop. It is one of the most engrossing books I have ever read.”

—Connectwithyourteens.blogspot.com
 

"Willow is a book that can open the door between you and your teen to talk about the difference between perception and reality…It’s a talk no teen wants to have but every teen could benefit from. Willow is the perfect way to have that talk, to keep the lines of communication open…to help them understand pain isn’t forever."

—MommyBlogReviews.com

About the Author

Julia Hoban is a woman of many talents. She writes, designs her own clothes and handbags, and attended graduate school for physics and philosophy. She lives with her husband in New York City, and is working on her next novel (and outfit).