Swimming in a Sea of Stars by Julie Wright

Book Description:

A single kindness can save a life.

Journal entry: Heading to school. I know what everyone will say. There goes the girl who tried to kill herself.

Addison is no stranger to feeling stressed, insecure, and sad. Her therapist recommended she keep a journal to help her understand those feelings better, which she really needs today. It’s her first day back to school, several weeks after she survived her suicide attempt. She knows there are rumors about why she did it: A lousy home life? Bullying? Heartbreak? None of them are true, but it doesn’t matter because Addison still feels like she’s drowning. She still holds secrets she’s not ready to share.

During the school day, Addison encounters four other students struggling with their own secrets:

Booker is anxious about seeing Addison. They were sort of a couple until he tried to kiss her. She fled and then tried to end her life. Those two things couldn’t be related, could they?

Celia feels trapped by her mother’s abusive boyfriend. She can guess why Addison did what she did.

Damion is TikTok-famous and thinks befriending Addison could boost his followers. But what no one knows is he needs the world to remember him since his sick mom doesn’t anymore.

Avery is considered a loner and doesn’t know Addison, but they have neighboring lockers. With Avery’s older brother in jail for dealing drugs, Avery is desperate for meaningful human connection.

Swimming in a Sea of Stars is a poignant and gripping novel about how we’re all interconnected, like the stars in the night sky that form constellations and map out the universe, and if even one star goes missing, the effect is profound.

Rorie's Review:

This book was really hard for me to put down. I was very thankful for time spent sitting in doctor's offices, so that I had extra time to just sit and read this. I was hooked from the very first sentence, and the story kept me engaged the entire time.
It's not a very happy story - there are a lot of hard things that the 5 different teenagers are dealing with - but it is presented in a way that isn't too dark and draining. And it shows that there is always hope, and that reaching out to others, no matter what you might be going through, can not only help the other person, but it can help you heal as well.

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I appreciated that this story didn't end with unicorns and rainbows and all problems solved. That isn't realistic, and probably would have cheapened the story for me. Instead, the book ends with hope. Hope and light and healing. I'm going to recommend this book to all of my children, in hopes that they can be one of those people who notices the people around them, and reaches out to those who are in danger of getting lost in the cracks. 

Andrea's Review:

Excellent story that focuses on some very difficult topics. It was so important to read the point of view from several teens, and to see how little actions can make a huge difference for good. There were many acts of bravery that helped others to not feel alone. I wanted more at the end to see how things turned out, but overall it was a great book with a very important message. 

Title: Swimming in a Sea of Stars
Author: Julie Wright
Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing
Published: August 2023
ISBN: 1639931015
Source: We received review copies from the publisher. All opinions expressed are our own.

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