Hold Still

by Nina LaCour

Summary:
The school year might be beginning like normal for everyone else, but for Ingrid, all it brings is reminders of the death of her best friend at the end of last year.  Caitlin was beautiful and fun, but what everyone believed she was was shattered when she committed suicide.  Now Ingrid is left behind trying to understand not only why Caitlin did it, but why Caitlin never talked to her about her problems.  When Ingrid finds Caitlin's journal, she finds a way to understand a little bit of Caitlin herself, the part that Caitlin always kept hidden. 

Review:
Hold Still was not nearly as captivating as other novels about the aftermath of a suicide.  However what it did try to explain was the fact that Caitlin knew that she was ultimately the one responsible for her life and that what she was going to do was not the only option.  The book focuses on her friend trying to understand the betrayal she feels, and how to deal with both that betrayal and her grief.  Overall it's well written but there are better books on the subject out there.

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: 9th-10th Grade