Leftovers, by Laura Weiss

Two young, teenage girls who lose every shred of innocence and go to extremes to avenge a loved one. They arm themselves with the very weapons that were used to hurt them and rise to defend the only person who had any genuine hope and faith in them.

Leftovers, by Laura Weiss, is a deep, intense story that breaks your heart at every turn. The author uses an interesting second-person point of view to describe the story which contributes to the memorability of the book. The author uses this point-of-view to give the reader the feeling that they themselves are inside of the story and going through everything. Needless to say, it creates a strong connection between the reader and the two narrators. The story is told as it is- bitter and sour with no sweet, sugar-coating layer to shield the reader, shocking the reader at the raw and powerful dose of manipulation, categorization, and different forms of abuse. The author could have given a little more attention to the physical features of the characters as it was challenging to play out the scenes without having a face to match the personalities. The author is able to create real, vivid, and relatable characters that capture your heart, but refuse your pity.

Reviewed by Lilit, Grade 12

Grandview Library