THE COLDEST WINTER
I EVER SPENT
by
Ann Jacobus
YA / Contemporary / Suicide & Family Issues
Publisher: Carolrhoda Lab
Date of Publication: March 7, 2023
Number of Pages: 352 pages
Audiobook: 9 hours, 11 minutes
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Eighteen-year-old Del is in a healthier place than she was a year and a half ago: She’s sober, getting treatment for her depression and anxiety, working in her Aunt Fran’s San Francisco art gallery, and volunteering at a suicide-prevention hotline. Her own suicide attempt is in the past and living with her beloved aunt has helped her see a future for herself.
But when Aunt Fran is diagnosed with terminal cancer, Del’s equilibrium is shattered. She struggles to help care for her aunt—while also dealing with a crush, her looming first semester at college, and her shifts at the crisis line. After Aunt Fran asks for her help with a mind-boggling final request, Del must confront her own demons and rethink everything she thought she knew about life and death.
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Ann Jacobus is the author of YA novels The Coldest Winter I Ever Spent and Romancing the Dark in the City of Light. She earned an MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts and has published articles, essays, short fiction, and poems. She teaches writing and presents at workshops and conferences. A former suicide crisis line counselor, she's a mental health advocate and speaks to teens about writing and suicide prevention both. Born in Texas and a life-long Tex-Mex addict, she and her family divide their time between California and Massachusetts.
MY REVIEW:
The Coldest Winter I Ever Spent is a contemporary fiction novel about an 18-year-old girl who has a lot of struggles thrust upon her. While she struggles with her own mental health issues (having formerly attempted suicide), she also needs to take care of her aunt, who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. The book follows her struggles to live a healthy life defeating her own demons, as she grapples with the reality that she could use the one person who has accepted her and taken care of her despite her vices and challenges.
This book presents a very real and unfaltering picture of mental health struggles and caretaking. It doesn't shy away from the tough topics, but also presents them in an understandable and approachable way. Del's life is far from perfect, but she genuinely tries to be better and be present for her aunt. She is also trying to establish her own life, while realizing that some things about her life need to be on the backburner.
Del is a great protagonist because she is so upfront with what she's facing as a narrator. She asks the tough questions, makes tough choices, but she's incredibly flawed. She overthinks, her anxiety sometimes gets the best of her, and she has a hard time accepting her circumstances. Nonetheless, I was rooting for her to come through on the other side.
This is a tough read. Be sure to check its triggers and content to make sure you're comfortable with it. I cried a few times and found it a bit challenging to get through - because it's so real. As a person who has done caretaking for chronic illness (non-terminal), but has also lost family members to cancer, it can feel incredibly real and relatable even if I don't share Del's personal struggles. It's tough. But it's also beautiful and heartwrenching. The one aspect that drove me crazy was Nick, Delilah's love interest. I understand his character, and the broader arc, but that doesn't make me love him through some parts of this book. BUT I really appreciated Del and her trajectory.
I do recommend this book - but only for readers confident that they can handle the subject matters (all of them). The author definitely comes as a voice of experience with important messages to share. This is truly a beautiful and bittersweet read. I give The Coldest Winter I Ever Spent a Lone Star rating of ✯✯✯✯ stars. I would've loved to go 5, but Nick definitely pulled things down a bit for me.
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Each receives a signed hardcover copy + San Francisco swag
(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 10/6/23)
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09/26/23 |
Review |
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09/26/23 |
BONUS Stop |
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09/27/23 |
Audiobook Review |
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09/27/23 |
BONUS Stop |
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09/28/23 |
Excerpt |
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09/29/23 |
Review |
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09/30/23 |
Author Interview |
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10/01/23 |
Playlist |
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10/02/23 |
Audiobook Review |
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10/03/23 |
Deleted Scene |
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10/04/23 |
Review |
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10/05/23 |
Review |
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NICK! He was mostly background noise but I appreciated his character because his existence reminded us that Del is just 18 and allowed us to see her less mature side. Book took me through a lot, too. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this thoughtful review, Sam. It's much appreciated!
ReplyDelete