Below you'll find a book review of a new title submitted by teens in the Edge.

Sparrow by Mary Cecilia Jackson
Available as an eBook on OverDrive.
Review: This book is about a young ballerina who goes by Sparrow that dates a very popular kid named Tristan in school. She can not believe that this popular kid is into her and enjoys it very much. However, Tristan has a very dark side. Every time he gets angry at Sparrow, he abuses her. Not knowing that she does not deserve this kind of treatment due to the fact that she was also abused by her mother, she does not reach out for help and whenever her friends ask about her bruises, she makes up an excuse. This book is also a perspective-changing book. It changes from Sparrow's point of view to Lucas's. Lucas is a very good friend of Sparrow and he also is a ballerina. He suspects that Tristian is hurting Sparrow but cannot say anything due to the fact that he has no actual evidence. It is all just suspicion. One day, Sparrow asks Tristan to take a break in their relationship and he hurts her much worse than he has ever done before. Afterward, Sparrow is found, without Tristan, lying down badly injured. When she arrives in the hospital, the doctors work very hard to resuscitate her and to keep her alive. She finally wakes up traumatized and will not let anybody touch her and she also refuses to talk. Lucas then infuriated, goes and beats up Tristan. He is suspended from school and is kicked out of his ballet class. He does not know how to deal with his anger toward Tristan and guilt for not saying anything sooner. After having multiple episodes of violence, he is sent to his grandmother and mentally heals there. Sparrow goes to therapy and heals both her body and mind and she also gets back into ballet.

I really enjoyed this book. It had many dark twists and taught the importance of trust and your emotions. I would definitely recommend this book to a friend. Thank you so much for this amazing book!