Made You Up

Reality, it turns out, is often not what you perceive it to be—sometimes, there really is someone out to get you. For fans of Silver Linings Playbook and Liar, this thought-provoking debut tells the story of Alex, a high school senior—and the ultimate unreliable narrator—unable to tell the difference between real life and delusion.

Alex fights a daily battle to figure out what is real and what is not. Armed with a take-no-prisoners attitude, her camera, a Magic 8 Ball, and her only ally (her little sister), Alex wages a war against her schizophrenia, determined to stay sane long enough to get into college. She's pretty optimistic about her chances until she runs into Miles. Didn't she imagine him? Before she knows it, Alex is making friends, going to parties, falling in love, and experiencing all the usual rites of passage for teenagers. But Alex is used to being crazy. She's not prepared for normal. Can she trust herself? Can we trust her?

“Debut novelist Zappia presents readers with a wholly unreliable narrator, [but] the characters all seem authentic, thanks to Zappia’s careful attention to detail.” - Booklist

“Alex’s sardonic voice and the rapid, Heathers-like dialogue will hold readers’ interest.” - Publishers Weekly

“The storytelling texture here recalls Andrew Smith and Sean Beaudoin…There are moments of genuine tragedy redeemed by the acceptance Miles and Alex find in each other amidst all of their imperfections; if love doesn’t conquer all, it certainly makes the battles easier to bear. Readers…will enjoy this quirky trip.” - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Alex is a funny, touching, determined, and smart character, and her story is complex and interesting. Fans of E. Lockhart’s We Were Liars and Matthew Quick’s Silver Linings Playbook will immerse themselves in this nuanced look at trying to live a “normal” life while coping with mental illness.” - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)