Sixteen-year-old physics nerd Aysel is obsessed with plotting her own death. With a mother who can barely look at her without wincing, classmates who whisper behind her back, and a father whose violent crime rocked her small town, Aysel is ready to turn her potential energy into nothingness.
There's only one problem: she's not sure she has the courage to do it alone. But once she discovers a website with a section called Suicide Partners, Aysel's convinced she's found her solution--Roman, a teenage boy who's haunted by a family tragedy, is looking for a partner. Even though Aysel and Roman have nothing in common, they slowly start to fill in each other's broken lives. But as their suicide pact becomes more concrete, Aysel begins to question whether she really wants to go through with it. Ultimately, she must choose between wanting to die or trying to convince Roman to live so they can discover the potential of their energy together.
Listen to an interview with the author HERE.
A written interview is HERE.
Freshman Fifteens Author Jasmine Warga Talks About Writing with Cincinnati Area Teens
Meet Our Freshman: Jasmine Warga
Praise for the book:
"A fearless, taboo-busting debut, sensitive and authentic, but laced with pitch-perfect black humour." ~Gavin Extence, author of The Universe Versus Alex Woods
“My Heart and Other Black Holes is alive with intensity, gut-wrenching honesty, moments of humor, and-of course-heart. This is an extraordinary debut by a striking new voice in YA fiction that left me in awe and moved beyond measure. Not to be missed.” ~Nova Ren Suma, author of Imaginary Girls
“With high intelligence and a massiveness of heart, Warga gifts us with a novel that has the music of Mozart, the logic of advanced physics, and the vision to see the link between them. This is something utterly new, a book that is kinetic and beautiful and unexpectedly life-affirming.” ~Chris Lynch, author of Freewill
"Warga’s immensely readable first novel somehow accomplishes the impossible—she addresses a vital topic without being preachy, creating characters that are lovable in spite of significant flaws. At times poignant, bitter, and funny, this narrative captures Aysel’s unique voice that questions what it means to die—and to live." ~Booklist
"Debut novelist Warga addresses adolescent depression and suicide with honesty and grace...an eloquent first-person narrative, Warga crystallizes the significant turning points in Aysel’s attitudes and emotions, and celebrates the sparks of hope combatting the dark thoughts that threaten to destroy her." ~Publishers Weekly
"Debut author Warga unflinchingly tackles the grim subject matter with empathy, sensitivity, and honesty, without trivializing her protagonists’ disturbing thoughts or emotions...[with an] utterly endearing romance." ~Horn Book Review
“Earnest and heartfelt . . . any teen who’s ever felt like an outsider will be able to relate to Aysel’s and Roman’s fully realized characters.” ~Kirkus Reviews
“The book addresses serious issues with complexity and humor . . . thoughtfully presented.” ~School Library Journal
"Our words can affect people in a way that even we cannot understand... I would recommend all teenagers to read this book as it is very interesting, it grips you from the beginning, it's a quick read and it is just a wonderful piece of writing." ~The Guardian
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