Girl on the Line

A story that begins where too many others end, this stunningly written and unflinchingly authentic tale of love, loss, and hope will touch fans of All the Bright Places and Girl in Pieces.

Life’s tough when you didn’t expect to be living it. But now that Journey has a future, she apparently also has to figure out what that future’s supposed to look like.

Some days the pain feels as fresh as that day: the day she attempted suicide. Her parents don’t know how to speak to her. Her best friend cracks all the wrong jokes. Her bipolar II disorder feels like it swallows her completely.

But other days—they feel like revelations. Like meeting the dazzling Etta, a city college student who is a world unto herself. Or walking into the office of the volunteer hotline, and discovering a community as simultaneously strong and broken as she is.

Or uncovering the light within herself that she didn’t know existed.

Praise for Faith Gardner's The Second Life of Ava Rivers:

"A beautiful, moving, and thoughtful story about how far we're willing to go for family." —Kathleen Glasgow, New York Times bestselling author of Girl in Pieces

“This remarkable novel reproduces the personal and family trauma associated with the loss and recovery of a missing child. The Second Life of Ava Rivers is an enthralling tale.” —Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) (starred review)

"Gardner’s unforgettable voice blends Jodi Picoult’s emotional, ripped-from-the-headlines storytelling with Mindy McGinnis’s unflinchingly honest protagonists." —Booklist (starred review)

“Gardner brings a unique tenderness focused on the human dynamics of creating family and individual identity in the face of tragedy.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)

This is a story of what comes after the end—and the messy, beautiful, and brave steps toward a new beginning.

• YA Mental Health: An unflinching and authentic look at life with bipolar II disorder, as Journey navigates the overwhelming highs and lows of her own mind.
• Found Community: At a crisis hotline, Journey discovers she’s not alone, finding connection with a group of volunteers as simultaneously strong and broken as she is.
• Slow Burn LGBTQ Romance: Meeting the dazzling Etta opens up a world of possibilities, sparking a connection that might be the revelation Journey has been searching for.
• A Story of Hope: Surviving was the first step. This is the powerful, honest story of learning how to live again and finding light in the darkest of places.

"Arielle is a sympathetic, likable, and realistic narrator, thanks to Gardner's keen ear for teen dialogue.... An absorbing mystery...that will hold readers' attention throughout."  - School Library Journal

"Told in first person, Faith Gardner paints an intense psychological portrait that's fascinating and chilling."  - Bustle

“An achingly authentic depiction of cycling through depression and healing… the masterful handling gives the book bibliotherapeutic potential for readers struggling with the same issues or those who want to better understand the Journeys in their lives. An incredibly tough but worthwhile read.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Journey is a sarcastic poet, and her voice reflects that, shifting seamlessly from resonant prose to humorous observation… There are no easy answers in Gardner’s (The Second Life of Ava Rivers) tough but deeply rewarding latest, but there is hope in its message that there is no singularly correct road to recovery—and that the journey is worthwhile.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“[Journey is] a strong, vivid, and funny character, with a taste for dark and often evasive humor… she’s also here and hopeful, and that’s a hard-won prize that will hearten readers with their own battles.” - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)

Praise for The Second Life of Ava Rivers: "A beautiful, moving, and thoughtful story about how far we're willing to go for family."  - Kathleen Glasgow, New York Times bestselling author of Girl in Pieces

“This remarkable novel reproduces the personal and family trauma associated with the loss and recovery of a missing child . . . The Second Life of Ava Rivers is an enthralling tale.”  - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) (starred review)

"Gardner’s unforgettable voice blends Jodi Picoult’s emotional, ripped-from-the-headlines storytelling with Mindy McGinnis’s unflinchingly honest protagonists. Gardner’s gorgeous language and the atmospheric tone makes this a well-crafted, genre-defying story that deserves a wide readership."  - Booklist (starred review)

“Missing kid books aren’t rare, but Gardner brings a unique tenderness to this one; Vera is a deeply compelling narrator of this strange experience that no one, even her parents, can really understand the way she does…The book has its surprises, but it remains firmly focused on the human dynamics of creating family and individual identity in the face of tragedy.”— - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)

Praise for Perdita: "Intimate, fascinating. An edgy, intriguing debut novel of suspense, suspicion, and surprise."  - Kirkus Reviews