If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin displayed the true feelings that come to a person when a loss occurs, whether that loss is definite or indefinite. The story follows the life of Autumn and Phineas "Finny," childhood best friends who used to be inseparable but who grew apart as they grew up. The story starts with Finny’s death, and the book revolves around what Autumn felt growing up about school, her family, and, most importantly, Finny. Autumn constantly ponders what would have happened if Finny had been with her instead of in the car where his accident occurred. Before Finny’s death, we see Autumn and Finny’s friendship form again, this time into something different. The story alternates between different timelines, which not only provide variety in the book but also explain the cause of Autumn's behavior in the present.

I read this book during the summer break, and this book really surprised me. We know from the start of the book that Finny dies, yet his death at the end still shocked me. The book itself was so captivating that it made me forget about the loss that occurred. The author also addresses many of the difficult struggles that teens face or will face, including depression, denial, and death. The ending was realistic, maybe even a little too realistic for comfort. The struggles, the journey, and the life of Autumn were very raw. The main message from this book is to always treasure what you have, and your actions will always have some sort of consequence, whether that be for good or bad. This book made for a nice read and was a great way for me to pass some time. Rating: 3.5/5

Reviews by: Tanvi

Tanvi is a 10th grade virtual volunteer with the Lincoln Heights Library.

—Kelcey Soderstrom, Young Adult Librarian, Lincoln Heights Branch Library